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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890622">Neon Genesis Campione</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reality_Deviant/pseuds/Reality_Deviant'>Reality_Deviant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Campione! (Anime), Neon Genesis Evangelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Drama, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:19:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890622</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reality_Deviant/pseuds/Reality_Deviant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if, Bursting Through the Angel Leliel, Shinji found himself in a different Tokyo? What if it was one that already had Gods, and those who would Slay them? Ever wondered how Shinji would fare, as a Campione?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Genesis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Excuse me, Minamoto-Sensei, but Kusanagi-kun needs to depart the class, there was a family emergency that can't wait, and his presence is necessary."</p><p>The teacher, Miss Minamoto, who was just lecturing about the classic 'The Tales of Ganji' sighed, and with a long suffering expression permitted him to leave the class.</p><p>The walk outside was uneventful, but as soon as they got out of hearing range, the boy addressed the girl in a serious tone.</p><p>"What happened Erica? Did something really happen to my family?"</p><p>"No, Godoh, you are needed in your capacity as a Campione. "</p><p>"Did another Heretic God appear?"</p><p>"N... well we aren't really sure, that's the problem. A car will be here soon, with a more updated version and debrief."</p>
<hr/><p>And, indeed, a car, or more specifically a SUV was waiting for them outside the school, with unknown History Compilation Committee agents inside, one as a driver and another in the back, with a laptop.</p><p>As soon as Godoh, Erica, entered, the he saw the other girls were inside already, waiting.</p><p>The vehicle started to drive just as he buckled his seat-belt, and the man with the laptop opened it, and showed a recording, while explaining.</p><p>"Just over five minutes ago a strange unidentified object appeared above Tokyo, " the video file showed a giant black and white striped ball, hanging in the sky, and a circular black shadow on the ground below it.</p><p>Any building, street or car that would have been in that shadow was unseen, as if swallowed by it. No visible terrain elevations or any objects were visible in that uniform all-consuming blackness.</p><p>"None of our readings even saw that object, but what could this be, except a Heretic god, I some strange form? We-"</p><p>His phone rang than.</p><p>He answered quickly, and upon hearing what was on the other side, his face paled drastically, and he swiftly ended the call with a hasty "We are on the wy", and after fiddling with the laptop, resented it to Godoh again, a different image showing this time.</p><p>"This is a live feed from the scene!"</p><p>Now the black shadow started trembling, as if it as a ground during an earthquake, rather than a substance sucking all it touched.</p><p>Soon, the striped orb, hanging in the sky, started cracking, and tears appeared on it, red substance, like blood, followed.</p><p>Within moments, tearing sounds were accompanied by a deafening roar, as an..arm burst from within, with a splash of red.</p><p>The arm started tearing at the ball, and soon more tears appeared, as well as a bizarre head, its maw open in a roar. The beast swiftly torn the ball apart, in a great shower of red, flooding the street in what looked like it's blood.</p><p>The circular shadow disappeared at once, as if it was never there, the buildings and cars in it looked unaffected, and it's only presence was the blood flooding the streets, and the giant, blood covered humanoid figure that torn through it, like a demented parody of a chick hatching from an egg, or some unholy, bloody birth of a Beast.</p><p>For a moment, Godoh thought he saw a flash of light in the vague shape of a cross, one that looked upside down, and he thought it to remind him, strangely, of the Biblical religion-didn't they have some great beast that would rise from the abyss or something?</p>
<hr/><p>"Welcome, my new son! I know thee and the foe thee vanquished were not standard, but you fit into my cursed blessing well enough, and you, poor child, need a mother more than any other of those I adopted!</p><p>I welcome thee, Ikari Shinji- my new son, and the Eight Campione!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wanted to do a Campione crossover fic hat didn't have a Shounen Protagonist as the inserted character for some time, and recently had the idea to cross it with NGE. i didn't see any fics crossing these two fandoms, and after several sittings to try and do it-this was the result.</p><p>What do you think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. After The Act</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A report on the potential appearance of the Eight Campione, delivered to the Witenagemot, Greenwich Assembly, by the History Compilation Committee , two days after the incident in Tokyo.</strong>
</p><p>While it remains unconfirmed, recent development in Tokyo Incident led us believe that it was nothing less than the glimpse at a battle of a Heretic God and a newborn Godslayer.</p><p>The incident- namely the bizarre appearance of the zebra stripped giant floating ball, and the emergence of the humanoid figure that burst through it, in what appeared like a bloody birth (see video attached).</p><p>The 'blood' in question, from our analysis, was an amber-colored, oxygenated, translucent liquid, that apparently shares similar properties with the hypothetical "primordial ooze" from which life on Earth first evolved, and had divinity in it. No other physical remains of the 'Ball' remained, the torn striped coating seemed to disintegrate quickly after landing on the ground, and there was no hint of it containing anything besides the 'Blood' and the giant that spew from it.</p><p>When questioned, none of the individuals who were inside the shadow of the abovementioned 'Ball' remembered it, and some seemed to be confused as to their location, though all seemed to have fallen asleep at the time of its appearance, to only wake up after it's disappearance. There were no signs of harm, or any magical or effects on any of them, besides falling asleep, and waking up with short term amnesia in few of the cases, that resolved itself within hours.</p><p>The humanoid giant, after tearing through and roaring, stood unmoving after finishing its emergence from the ball, disappeared as if it was not even there. Analysis of its recorded image showed hints of armor plating of some sort.</p><p>The 7th Campione, who was on his way to investigate the incident, claimed to have sensed a Divine power nearby, most certainly a heretic god or a fellow Campione.</p><p>As he arrived to the scene of the incident, where the orb made its appearance, he confirmed sensing the Birth of a Campione at that location. A Spirit Vision performed by a Hime-Miko confirmed that a heretic god was slain at that location, and a mortal ascended.</p><p>Neither the orb, nor the giant were identified , but suspected to be the deity that was fought and killed. No witnesses were found to the battle itself.</p><p>As the location of most campione was known at the time of the incident, others suspected to remain within their territories, and no signs of any of them were found in japan,it is likely true.</p><p>In summation, it appears that an unidentified heretic god appeared in Tokyo, Japan, as either a giant floating Ball, or a humanoid giant bursting from it, and was defeated by a currently unknown person, who thus, via the divine ritual of Pandora, was reborn as a Campione.</p><p>It is unknown at the time what authorities were gained, but due to the sleep and temporary amnesia afflicted on the people that were in the shadow of the 'orb', and the lack of recollection of the battle itself, it is suspected that the heretic god was some obscure deity associated with memories, and granted its slayer authorities capable of effecting memories.</p><p>It is unknown how the new Campione react to sharing territory with another, nor why another has risen in Japan, so soon.</p><p>A further report will be filed when more information has been compiled.</p><p>
  <strong>-End of Line-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>'An unfamiliar ceiling.'</em>
</p><p>That was the first thought that entered Shinji's mind, as he found himself waking up.</p><p>A cursory glance showed none of the medical personal that he recalled from earlier visits to NERV infirmary. In fact, it didn't look like NERV at all.</p><p>When he asked the strange nurse, she seemed confused at his terms, and told him that he was a victim of a gas leak, one of many, and that it was probably his mind, fabricating a tale to compensate over the memories it lost. He wasn't the only one, and as the others returned to normal within hours of awakening, he should too. Tokyo-3? Why what could have happened to the first one, and there never was a second!</p><p>They did ask about his name, as he had no identifying documents on his person, and they didn't find him in the system.</p><p>He gave them the only one he remembered- Ikari Shinji.</p><p>As the nurse left, muttering to himself so quietly that Shinji was surprised he overheard it, "poor boy", he wondered if the entire episode of what he remembered really was fiction, both dreading and hoping for it to be so.</p><p>
  <em>'And what of Misato? Rei, and Asuka? Of Touji and Kensuke?'</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The report from the compilation Committee may be familiar, as I based it on similar reports to Witengamot in my favorite Campione crossover fics-' God Slaying Blade Works', and 'Crown of Dreams'.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stirrings of Memory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinji spent the following hours in his hospital bed, in the recovery and observation wing he was transferred to, searching for the end to the temporary amnesia, for any clue of a memory to contradict the ones he had- about NERV, Angels and Misato, about all the things the nurses were so sure to be false.</p><p>were those really delusions, how much of it had a basis in reality, if such base even exist. Did it?</p><p>"Still nothing, Shinji-kun?", the young-looking man occupying the nearby bed, sharing the room and having shared his ailment of memory loss, until an day prior, asked.</p><p>"N-No, Ukitake-San, sorry." Shinji apologetically replied to the long haired, twenty something years old man.</p><p>somehow, the man just managed to be cheerful, polite and charismatic that the young boy just couldn't help but smile and feel a little bit better, more cheered, every time after talking with him.</p><p>
  <em>and he felt himself wanting to cry, when after a bloody coughing fit, as the man was rushed into emergency room, a nurse with a sad expression, quietly revealed that Ukitake-san had a particularly difficult case of chronic Tuberculosis.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shinji found himself filled with thought about the cheerful man, rather then his wrong memories until falling asleep that night.</em>
</p><p>"Oh, it seems that my old friend finally came to take me home. That or to charm all the nurses. Good to see you, Oh Stranger."</p><p>the man that approached Ukitake-san from the other side of his bed has a curly brown hair and a fuzzy look with a beard and moustache carefuly made to look carelessly half trimmed-granting him a roguish look. he wore a pink floral kimono over a tuxedo suit and tie.</p><p>"I Know that you remember me now, i checked with the pretty doctor lady!" he replies with a smile.</p><p>Ukitake-san laughs at his friend, "Only you, Shunsui, only you..."</p><p>They soon fal into friendly banter, and Shinji turned his gaze aside, not wanting to intrude.</p><p>feeling stirrings of envy towards the pair of friends, and their easy companionship. becoming an outsider to in -in what felt like habit.</p><p>Soon the two will leave, and he will remain, alone, again.</p><hr/><p>They left and Shinji had nothing to do but stare at the ceiling. Again.</p><p>Bored out of his mind, and unable to bear the inaction, he rose from his own bed, and seeing no medical personal in the room, peaked into the hallway outside. Seeing the area clear, he left to scout his surroundings.</p><p>The hospital looked familiar, reminding the boy of his many visits to the similar looking NERV facility...</p><p>
  <em>'Or, at least my memories of it...'</em>
</p><p>It bugged him, that the memories he had contradicted what he was told by the other people around, yet everybody else he saw regained their real memories already, without any clashing with the reality around them.</p><p>As he walked the hallways, Shinji noticed a newspaper on an empty bench.</p><p>He opened it, and sitting on the bench, read about the gas leak in Tokyo. none of the events seemed to spark familiarity, none of the celebrities names appeared familiar. Even the Date seemed strange for some reason, as if the wrong year.</p><p>Shinji then felt a strange presence, as if something more then human. as he looked around, spooked, searching for the origin of the strange feeling, he pinpointed it to the strange person he saw-a suit and tie wearing man, with an unruly black hair and slight stubble.</p><p>
  <em>'Kaji-san.'</em>
</p><p>The sight of him was very familiar, and caused a strange feeling of lose.</p><p>Also for some reason, Shinji's instincts were set off and on edge by that man.</p><p>The boy swiftly covered his face with the newspaper to avoid the man's attention, and decided that the best course of action would be to follow the man.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Shinji's Authorities:</strong>
</p><p><strong>Conductor of the Realms</strong>-" <em>I stand between the Realms, the gate and the blockade. Through me passage is granted to essence and form."</em></p><p>The ability of the 12th angel, Leliel, to phase through dimensions, and using a Dirac Sea, hide herself in an overlaying dimension, appearing as a shadow, and dragging Unit 01, as well as everything else that was in its, 'shadow form', into another dimension. According to legends, it is the angel of the night and dreams, standing between the physical realm, and all other realms, including the spiritual world, and an infinite number of alternate universes. The angel acts as a conductor of the energy from all of these different realms.</p><p>Through this authority, Shinji has a limited version of a private pocket dimension of his own, he can access through his Shadow. He can only send something (or someone) that is at least partly in his shadow. Any damage done from inside said dimension will reflect back at Shinji, in forms varying between paper cuts and outright bleeding wounds and may even turn fetal, if enough critical damage is done. Therefore it is unadvisable to use against even mortal enemies, and Campione and Heretic gods would have it easy critically wounding him by unleashing devastating attacks from the inside-not unlike how he killed Leliel. As it is his shadow, only a very small part of the natural defenses of a Campione affect him against attacks from inside the pocket dimension, and leaving him just slightly more resistant then mortals to magic done from there.</p><p>Due to the somewhat unstable nature of the pocket dimension, anything inside will start slowly to deteriorate, after more the five minutes, unless it has a special connection to Shinji, like a memento he cares about, or something (someone) significant to him. The degradation takes the form of highly accelerated aging and corrosion effects on nonliving object, and as a limited air supply and temperature that lowers all the way into absolute zero for living things.</p><p>Shinji may learn to channel certain types of energy through it and himself later as well, with considerable effort.</p><p>It also grants him the passive effect to sense dimensional travel and other anomalies nearby, like a Heretic God leaving their legend and invading the mortal, physical world, if the entry point is close enough.</p><p><strong>Hide in thy shadows of the night</strong>- <em>"My form is hidden within the shadows outside of reach; I am the Shadow of Dream."</em></p><p>Using its Dirac Sea, the 12th Angel hid itself in an overlaying dimension, appearing as a shadow, while her real shadow which took her form, was mistaken for her real form, and attacks passed harmlessly through it. Leliel is an obscure figure, and is said to be a spiritual field of energy, human souls tap after separating from their physical bodies, while they sleep.</p><p>Shinji can use this authority to hide within his shadow, just like the abovementioned Leliel, and attacks at his visible form will pass through, as if it is his shadow, while any hit on the visible shadow of said form will effect exactly as if his real body was hit. However, Shinji cannot physically touch the world around him while in that form, and will have to rely on Authorities and magics for attack.</p><p><strong>Dreamgiver</strong>- <em>"I am the giver of Dreams, it is at my will that men walk through dreams."</em></p><p>Leliel is an angel of dreams, with its Hebrew interpretation being <strong>Lailah</strong> or <strong>Laylah</strong> (Hebrew "night") and said to be the one granting people dreams.</p><p>Using this Authority, Shinji can mentally enter the dreams of others, and may even shape them. Those whose dreams he enters may remember, or forget the dream and him, and may be MADE to remember or forget the dream, through this authority.</p><p>Shinji can only do this to someone he knows, and saw, using the memory of the image that person, to focus on them. If the image is too different from their real form (was a disguise hiding a <strong>very</strong> different look, or changed greatly afterwards), the Authority will fail.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I tried to give Shinji authorities that were balanced and reflected the nature of Leliel both in the legends, and the NGE version that he fought. His first authority is NOT a 'touch my shadow and die' thing, and trapping enemies in it is too dangerous to shinji against all but unarmed mooks, and for now is nothing more than a glorified garage for Unit 01.</p><p>Ukitake and Shunsui are Expies from Bleach of Gotei 13 Captains sharing their names.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Conspiracy?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the man departed the corridor, Shinji followed moments later. The boy did his best to follow the man, and soon both started walking at emptying, and soon later empty, hallways.</p><p>As they walked past the 'Employees only' sign, Shinji started worrying about the man he was following, the place both would reach, and the reason for his strange behavior-which he himself could only chalk to instinct.</p><p>He followed the man, all the while doing his best to walk soundlessly, between covers, so as to remain undetected.</p><p>Eventually he followed the Kaji-look-alike into an exit. A side door for employees.</p><p>As his quarry went outside, Shinji waited for the man to get far enough, before leaving as well, still clad in only his hospital gown.</p><p>The man into a side alley, and Shinji started worrying if he was discovered, and would be soon, confronted, probably violently. For some strange reason, it seemed less unnerving than it should have.</p><p>However, before the confused kid could ponder that thought, the target of his stalk went into the parking lot, and stopped there.</p><p>"Come out!" He called out. Shinji felt like his heart was about to burst out from the chest, due to the surprise callout, his brow starting to sweat. <em>'How long did he know I was following?'</em> He ducked into his cover, hoping the man would think he imagined him, or something. Anything, to avoid the dreaded confrontation-he never liked confrontations anyway even on the best of times.</p><p>He felt like a second heart attack when the call was answered, and it was not by his own voice.</p><p>"As expected of ninja from the Committee and such a devoted personal agent of the Sayanomiya heir. I take it your investigation was fruitless so far?"</p><p>A strange man, wearing all black, asked, appearing as if from nowhere sitting on the front of a car. He made Shinji think of government agents, and what he was told by Kensuke (was he ever a friend with a Kensuke, or was the very fact of knowing as more than a passing acquaintance someone by that name false memory too?) referred to in America once as Men In Black, people that would appear to deal in with aliens and conspiracies and memory wipes…</p><p>And why did he suddenly think of a 'Mr. Anderson and Agent Smith?'</p><p>For some reason he had a vision: black clad agents, with side arms, taking hold of him, and taking him to an imprisonment. <em>'Was it my imagination? A memory?'</em> Shinji shook his head, and paid utmost attention to the words said, like a thirsty man drinking drops of water in a dessert. Painfully eager for ANY clue as to his situation.</p><p>"Nothing so far, no one with unique condition, or anything that would stand out- be it physical or memory wise, from what I gathered from the hospital, yet. There were some close calls, but a personal inspection quickly turned a false alarm. It is possible that they will become obvious by not sharing the temporary memory loss of everybody else, or sharing a permanent version of it. I still think this is the place to find the target of our search, and it's only a matter of time, until we find that person."</p><p>"You better, Amakasu-san, after the humiliating failure of the immediate post-incident report, some start to doubt your competence so far. You better find that individual and deal with the loose end soon. I don't need to tell you of the potential consequences should you fail."</p><p>The stranger spoke in a tone that allowed no arguments, like a cold, bearded man ordering others into battle emotionlessly and giving commands of execution, before fading into nothingness, and disappearing completely.</p><p>Only at that point did Shinji realize that the strange feeling that caused him to notice the man he followed, this Amakasu-san, the other one invoked it too, and in a greater intensity.</p><p>Still, what he overheard hinted at a great secret, some conspiracy, and it did NOT sound like something he should stick around and see for himself-as he knew, from his talk with the nurses and doctors, that none of the other patients suffering from memory loss, had it last as long as he did, nor did any replace them with alternative memories as bizarre as the ones he had.</p><p>Shinji was convinced that he was the target of the search, and did not want to stick around and see if he was right, and how they planned to deal with a Shinji shaped loose end, when they find him.</p><p>
  <em>'I better leave! From what I was told, they found nothing on my person, beside clothes, and a SDAT music player. I shouldn't stay in the hospital where they can find me. There is no reason to return.'</em>
</p><p>With those thoughts, Shinji saw the man that was called Amakasu enter the car and drive away, and after waiting a minute, to satisfy himself that neither he, nor the disappearing man will return, hurried to the alleys.</p><hr/><p>"Grandpa! Shizuka! I'm Home!" Godoh exclaimed, having returned from yet another day at school. The Perverted Trio was suspiciously quiet as of late, and he concerned about their next harebrained attempt.</p><p>"You are Late, Oni-chan!" His sister exclaimed in return, her face still showing displeasure, particularly at the sight of Erica following him inside, but surprisingly containing her words of condemnation.</p><p>The reason for it was revealed, as a mature looking, European woman, who looked no older than in her forties, thought maybe late ones, was seated near his Grandfather.</p><p>"So this is the grandson you were telling me about, Ichirou-kun? And none other than the young Blandelli girl. It is just like you were, in your youth. Hello Erica Dear, do you remember me? I used to do business with your uncle. How is good Paolo…"</p><p>Godoh turned a questioning glance at the girl that entered with him, and was surprised to see her unmoving. Worry bubbling in his heart, he asked politely, wondering why the older woman seemed familiar, as to her identity.</p><p>"Why isn't it obvious? Hopefully I am your new step-grandmother."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, Shinji got the wrong conclusion from the words of Amakasu, yes it was deliberate by the author. The true meaning should be obvious, but i will reveal it next chapter anyway, by showing the other side of the scene.</p><p>As for the Godoh scene- his grandpa was a ladies man in his youth, so its not unlikely for an old flame to visit him some years after the death of his wife- something i wanted to see in a campione fic, but hadn't yet. born of the idea 'what if The Witch of Sardinia were to visit the now widowed man who stole her heart all those years ago...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Newcomer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Have a nice nap there, buddy." A black man murmured with a Jamaican accent towards the other occupant of the room.</p><p>Across from him, on the bad, a naked man slept, with just as dressed woman hugging him close.</p><p>"Well, I led you on quite the chase, so it's only fitting that the story will end with the hero getting the girl. I even left you quite the tale for your friends or superiors.</p><p>Now, let's see just what news you carry, about Pandora's new kid.</p><p>I swear, if the woman wanted so many kids so much, she should have told me, I would have been happy to help."</p><p>With these words, he took to the sleeping man's belongings, rummaging until he found the documents.</p><p>After carefully reading them, he frowned, and left the building.</p><p>On the street he signaled for a taxi, and hopped in.</p><p>"Where to?"</p><p>"JFK airport my man!" he cheerfully replied. "And stop by the bookstore, I wanna get me some reading before the long flight. I hear Clark Ashton Smith writes interesting tales, and I just have to try that book of Neil Gaiman fellow it sounds like the best thing eva."</p><p>At the bookstore, made some purchases, that 'Seven Geases' story got his attention and he almost read it all inside the store, only stopped by the lady clerk and her displeased glare.</p><p>"Will you be buying?"</p><p>"Yeah. Those and this one."</p><p>At the sight of the last book, the man giggled a bit.</p><p>"Something the matter?"</p><p>"No, just some inside joke. Hey, you got any good Samurai stories? I know plenty of stories, but nothing about these fellas, aside from their love of raw fish and pointy things." He spoke with a smile and endearing charm, his eyes glowing in mischief and secrets.</p><p>The rest of the drive was uneventful, though both the taxi driver and bookshop clerk would have unforgettable events happen to them later that day. But that's 'nother story.</p><p>At the airport he was looked at a very strangely, top hat and spider patterned tie and all.</p><p>"I'd like to buy a ticket to the next flight to japan, please."</p><hr/><p>Sayanomiya Kaoru was not having a good day. At all.</p><p>They were now hosting not one Devil king in japan, but two! The mysterious Eight Campione has yet to reveal himself, but two campione sharing territory was unprecedented. It was feared that it was only a matter of time until the two kings will confront each other over sovereignty of this territory, and fights between Campione, especially with King Kusanagi involved, would surely have much collateral destruction.</p><p>The fact that they knew nothing about the Eight only added to the nervous atmosphere, particularly in light of potential memory effecting authorites.</p><p>Already they had some incidents of infighting among their field agents, due to people seemingly acting out of character, and confronted harshly, suspected of being influenced by their new would be king.</p><p>The constant calling of the elders, dissatisfied with her failure of progress regarding the new godslayer among them, constantly checking on her and many field operatives and voicing their displeasure only made things worse.</p><p>She would have paid a large bounty for any information on the illusive new monarch, but she didn't know anything about the person, not even their gender.</p><p>
  <em>'Though if it is a younger girl, new to her power, I just might be able to put halt to the irritating demands to work on granting my clan an heir. Yuri got the ear of King Godoh…'</em>
</p><hr/><p>Shinji walked in the alleys, keeping away from the car roads and primary streets, hoping that nobody will see him, the occasional breeze making his current attire, a hospital gown and nothing else, unforgettable.</p><p>"Well well, what have we here… looks like somebody is in quite the pickle."</p><p>Shinji found himself surrounded by kids, most looking his age, and some a year or two older. From the jeans and leather they wore, as well as piercings and tattoos, those were delinquents. He felt his heart pound faster, in fear and…anticipation?</p><p>Suddenly the biggest one, a two heads taller than him at least sixteen by his look and with orange colored hair and a piercing in his right ear, as well as 'Shinigami' tattooed on his the inside of his wrist, drew a switchblade, and pointing it at the cowering Shinji, leered.</p><p>"Well normally I would as ya to pay the tax for walkin here, but you don't look like you got any room for pockets or wallet on you. So you'd have ta be creative with your payment. How 'bout you get on your knees and help me and the boys with some stress? You look girly enough in that dress."</p><p>"Maybe he's from an asylum, big brother? My ma always told me ta never stick it in crazy."</p><p>"He don't look too dangerous, sides, he's smaller than you."</p><p>"Yeah, you too scared, hiroshi?" the others jeered.</p><p>At those statements, Shinji felt his heart sink, this was all the things he was hoping to avoid during his run in the back alleys. This was worse than Asuka at her worst, than misato's drunken teasing and that first day with her and Penpen.</p><p>And in a completely different way. He knew that he would have to try and fight them, he couldn't allow this final violation they intended upon him without struggling, after the Angels and everything.</p><p>And with steely resolve that he was backed into a corner and had to fight, came a surprising certainty. A confidence and even eagerness that startled him.</p><p>With a nod to himself he acted, while the enemies surrounding him continued their suggestive remarks about his method of paying them.</p><p>His body moved on its own, as if knowing battle, much more efficiently, better than during his fights with the angels in those strange memories.</p><p>He moved too fast, with grace and speed he never had before, pushing the switchblade holding arm aside, and punching its holder in the face with the other hand.</p><p>The man dropped instantly.</p><p>Both he and the goons around him looked at the knocked out punk, and it was unknown just who was more surprised.</p><p>The other delinquents, however, regained their senses quickly, and drawing various weaponry: knifes and switchblades, knuckles and bats, charged at him.</p><hr/><p>When 'Big Brother' returned to consciousness, he found the rest of his boys scattered around, unconscious or moaning on the ground, clutching at bruises, with the wimpy looking almost naked kid not having a mark on him, and not even breathing hard. A passing breeze revealed solid, corded muscles, and there was something … unnatural in the gaze of the little boy.</p><p>"I need your clothes, your knife and your money." The little brat told him in a strangely commanding voice.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Wandering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clothed properly and with some money, Shinji felt better than having only his Hospital gown, open back and all.</p><p>
  <em>'But how did I do that? I was outnumbered, and unarmed. I was smaller, younger…weaker… How did I defeat them so easily?'</em>
</p><p>It took him a minute to notice that he clenched his fists.</p><p>
  <em>'What's wrong with me?'</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Now, what is wrong with dis scene. . ."</p><p>Y-you said something, sir?" the nervous looking officer asked him.</p><p>"Na, just talkin to myself a bit. . ." the black man with the spider patterned tie replied. He found his current circumstances amusing distraction from the uneventful travel from the airport. at least the reading materials were interesting.</p><p>
  <em>'dat Lovecraftian writer sure knew his stuff. It gave me ideas...'</em>
</p><p>It was somewhat funny the first time, just how unnerved the people of this island country were by his black skin tones… it was as if they never heard of Africa! Why that policeman was bigger than him, and still so nervous that he double-checked his disguise…</p><p>But apparently Japanese people didn't appreciate the exotic-why the cop have been following him for ten minutes now, to make sure that he won't turn into some Youkai and attack the citizens. Not that he was entirely wrong.</p><p>
  <em>'Sorry, my watchful guardian, but no grand tale for you-I gotta keep low for now. And, here it is, the spot where the eighth Campione was born, now let's see what stories dis place will tell me.'</em>
</p><hr/><p>Erica Blandelli was accustomed to strange things. Her training in magic, and as a knight of her uncle's magic order, as well as her various experiences left her used to strange things.</p><p>Her time accompanying her king and future husband (even if he seemed still so reluctant about it) only increased the strange things she has witnessed.</p><p>Still the sight before her was very surprising.</p><p>For she recognized the older woman that greeted them.</p><p>She would have said to Godou, but the woman winked, as she hugged her, before pinching Godou's cheek in seemingly grandmotherly affection.</p><p>As she did, Erica got the chance to discreetly glance at the note slipped to her. It was a request for silence.</p><p>As much as she wanted to protest, the Young Blandelli didn't want to piss the woman in front of her. Nor to make the family home of her King a battlefield.</p><p>
  <em>'This is NOT good.'</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>'My w-what?'</em>
</p><p>Godou was blindsided by that answer.</p><p>He knew of his grandpa's reputation as a womanizer, but…this was just too weird.</p><p>Still he turned towards his grandpa, and gave him a 'look'.</p><p>The old man just smiled in a way that was an attempt to be charming, and shrugged.</p><p>The woman seemed familiar, though he did not know where from, and did not want to appear rude and ask her.</p><p>At least he saw why his sister was so displeased-she was did not like that woman, and was sitting on the far side from her and their grandfather throughout a rather awkward dinner.</p><p>And of course Erica joined it with them, all the while the stranger that came to replace his deceased grandma was talking as if they were a boyfriend and girlfriend.</p><p>Ichirou-jiji seemed to just find it all so very amusing, as he asked in a pretend whisper if Godou needed any tips about women.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Shelter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinji spent the next hours just wondering the strangely familiar yet unknown streets, deep in thought. The strange events ever since his awakening in that hospital plaguing his mind.</p><p>As he walked, no longer restricting himself to back alleys, he saw the other kids keeping their distance from him, one girl even changed directions and crossed the street just to avoid him.</p><p>As he kept going, trying to not let it ruin his day, he didn't notice a car driving by, almost running him over, the driver, clearly a foreigner, yelling expletives and insults at him while driving by, without any accent.</p><p>After some more hours, the sky darkened, just like his thoughts.</p><p>Deciding that he should look for a place to sleep,</p><p>Shinji asked a passerby for a motel, and was directed at the direction from which he went, as he discovered that he was at the wrong part of the city for it.</p><p>And so another track… Only to discover that the place was a Love Hotel. The manager (or the clerk available, Shinji did not know, nor cared much at that point), was a fat, balding man</p><p>Who took one look at him and yelled at him to get out, not giving him any chance to explain himself, or even ask for directions to a real hotel, muttering about the shameless youth of today.</p><p>By the time Shinji exited the building it was already dark.</p><p>"It can't get much worse, at least." The boy muttered to himself.</p><p>The skies rumbled, as if in disagreement, as a thunder sounded, and it started raining.</p><p>"I should have remained silent."</p><p>And so, the boy who escaped from a hospital with nothing, found himself walking hours in the dark, under heavy rain that even thugs and delinquents hid indoors from, until finally, he heard a voice.</p><p>"Hey, kiddo… ya lost?"</p><p>The voice was raspy, with the hollowness typical to heavy smokers. As the boy turned, looking for its source, he soon found himself looking at an old man, with a short grey beard, and heir, wearing an old baseball cap on his head with some American slogan on it, and used clothes in a faded color that Shinji was pretty sure, almost… probably, was green, once upon a time… maybe during the Pacific war.</p><p>"First time with no roof?" The Homeless bum asked, curious.</p><p>Shinji bowed his head in shame, looking at the ground, at the falling rain drops.</p><p>"Well, than, I suppose nothing to it. Got anything to trade for?"</p><p>"Hai."</p><p>"Well, you look like you got some cash on ya. I can show ya a place you can crash at, in exchange for some money, what say ya?"</p><p>At a hesitant nod, the bum cheerfully started walking, unmindful of the rain. "Well than, let's go."</p><p>The man led him through the streets with a practiced familiarity, as they walked in the side streets and back alleys towards some unknown place.</p><p>As the got closer and closer to the alleged place where he could 'crash at', the boy started to wonder, just where was he being led to-some sort of a slavery operation, a drug house? A dark corner where the bum will rob or kill him? Some prostitution ring (and he couldn't help but blush at that particular thought)?</p><p>He still had no better place to go to, and so was at the mercy of the man who was leading him to who knew where. And in his current state, Shinji found himself not caring much.</p><p>"Well, kid here we are…"</p><p>
  <em>'Well, this is not a Yakuza slaver camp.'</em>
</p><p>They have indeed, reached a…shelter. Another sign of western influence-a place where those with too little would get a meal and a futon to sleep on, by volunteers.</p><p>As they entered the building, Shinji found the lack of rain falling on his head and the worth of the building- hinting at a heating device, to be welcome change.</p><p>They were greeted by an obviously western woman- American features and blonde hair who greeted the older man in accented Japanese.</p><p>"You are just in time Kevin, we got a place for you and there is still some soup remaining. And who is this young man?"</p><p>"Hay, Joodee, got room for one more? The kid got nowhere to go."</p><p>The woman's features softened, as she took in the leather clad, drenched young man, and with a soft voice, she addressed him.</p><p>"Of course, come with me, honey, let's go find a futon for you. I'm sure we have some soup left, and we'll see about something dry for you to wear. You'll get sick otherwise.</p><p>As the boy obediently followed her aside, and into a kitchen area, the woman called to another, a man in his twenties, another western foreigner, and asked him for a bowl of hot soup for the kid, and to check if they got spare towels.</p><p>Shinji did not notice any accent this time.</p><p>Afterwards, she knelt near him, and looking into his eyes, asked, the accent appearing once again.</p><p>"What's your name, Baby?"</p><p>"I-Ikari, Shinji, ma'am." He awkwardly replied. The attention made him uncomfortable.</p><p>"Its last name first, right?" At his nod she continued-"Well, Shinji, do you want to talk about your parents? "A negative. "What about your home? Did something happen? "She hesitated before asking again, "did someone do something to you? Maybe something you were not comfortable with?" at his silence, she soon relented.</p><p>"So tell me, how did you meet Kevin? That's the guy who introduced us, and my name is Judy by the way, sorry for not introducing myself right away."</p><p>"Kevin?" the kid asked, looking at her doubtfully, despite his clothes, the man looked Japanese, not a trace of Gaijin heritage on him. it seemed odd for one like that, particularly so old, to have such an 'unjapanese' name.</p><p>"Well, he didn't tell me his name, though between you and me I think he just didn't know it, and so I called him Kevin, Norton, after a character in a Novel I was reading at the time. Would have called you Zion if you shared that problem-which might have been awkward, so you got lucky you got a name already."</p><p>As the man from before interrupted further discussion, and led them to tables in the dining area of the shelter, a bowl before him, and the woman-Judy insistently using the dry towel upon his person, Shinji thought was, that it was…nice…being fawned upon, nice and strange. As if he was unused to it.</p><p>Still it was probably the best he could expect from his life, with no reliable memories, family to pick him up, or even documents, and strange men seemingly interested in him, in some bad way.</p><hr/><p>Liliana kranjcar, knight in service of the seventh Campione, the 'King of Lust' Kusanagi Godou, couldn't help but worry. There was an Eighth Godslayer in Japan, in the territory of King Godou. And the Devil Kings were not known for amicable relations between one another-on the contrary, an attack from the Eighth was expected.</p><p>Liliana wondered, just what was the newly born supreme sovereign planning, in the golden halls they were lairing at, scheming. And how difficult the battle will be for Godou, and more importantly, how much collateral will there be.</p><hr/><p>"My Lady, are you sure you wish to travel there, It is a territory currently hosting one Devil King, and suspected to be hosting the new, eighth as well. It seems imprudent."</p><p>the Death Glare the speaker received was answer enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is my attempt to insert some drama, and a starting bit of angst into the fic. as it is not going all to smooth, i have to ask-just how successful was i in that goal?</p><p>There is little action in this chapter- How did it come across?</p><p>also, if some are wondering- the people that avoided him as he walked-he was wearing leather jacket that made him appear a delinquent, and the expression on his face as he was deep in thought was serious-out of place on a good kid, that and some instinctive feeling of apprehension led to people avoiding the strange delinquent boy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Just Beyond Notice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinji woke to an unfamiliar ceiling, again.</p><p>
  <em>'That's right…I ended up at a homeless shelter.'</em>
</p><p>Most of the day, Shinji spent in the shelter, where, somehow, Norton-san has convinced him to tag along, as he introduced him to other regulars at the place.</p><p>"… This is Kagari-san, whose place got burned down-don't let him play with your matches. That's Sasuke-san", the old man, white haired and balding, nodded, as another muttered something about fires and accidents under his nose. "There is old Nobu, he doesn't talk much. The one there in the corner is Motohara…"</p><p>The introductions were followed by a card game, poker, where somehow, Shinji ended losing his share of the soup they were expected to get later. He was thankful the Norton-san has allowed him half of it later (Shinji missed a displeased face of a certain volunteer woman glaring at Norton-san from behind him).</p><p>Unfortunately, Shinji ended up losing a much of the remaining cash he had on him before the poker even reached that point. Some old men had uncanny luck.</p><p>Afterwards, Norton-san took him with him. To 'teach him the ropes '.</p><p>"…This is a trash can…"</p><p>"And people throw away the darnest things-you would be surprised what one might find in garbage, and how useful some things may be…particularly near certain places… why Motohara found an entire collection of porn mags in an alley just behind a house a newlywed couple moved into, And the old dog man-you don't know him- found a good coat, with a wallet full of money in one of its pockets-he drank away the entire week…"</p><p>"So don't be so quick to discard stuff. You might find someone threw away just what you need. I hear someone found a Meiji era printout…"</p><p>Shinji just sighed, as he observed the old man looking for something, and coming up with… a can of beer.</p><p>One that looked new and untouched probably bought recently, and still fresh, of a good quality beer.</p><p>
  <em>'How do I even know anything about beer?'</em>
</p><hr/><p>Shinji was surprised to learn that Norton -san knew well where to get stuff, and what streets and alleys best avoided. The boy learned more about the back alleys of the city then he ever wanted, that day, and the next one.</p><p>And even if the incident near that… strip club… was very awkward to him, there was , something… nice… about the old man guiding him, something strange , that Shinji did not know how to name…</p><p>"S-sorry for asking, Norton-san, but what happened to you?"</p><p>"Eh?"</p><p>At the confused expression on the older one, Shinji elaborated.</p><p>"I Mean, What happened, to you, that you found yourself… well…like that?" and expended his arms, as if to punctuate their entire surroundings as 'THAT'.</p><p>"Eh?"</p><p>"I mean, on the streets!"</p><p>"I ein't no on the streets, boy! Who do you take me for?" Norton angrily called, his voice rising to almost a shout. "I Live with my darling. She's just busy at home now."</p><p>Shinji wanted to argue the point, but relented instinctively.</p><p>He really didn't want to argue, or to anger the adult even more.</p><p>He as apparently too distracted, as suddenly he heard a voice too close to not surprise him.</p><p>"Stay away from them, Toji. Don't look at them. Don't talk to…strangers."</p><p>A glance revealed to source of the voice to be a matronly woman with a little boy, of around six, holding one hand, as she passed through the alley, wrinkling her nose and holding tight to the boy's hand.</p><p>The woman made sure to keep her distance from Shinji and his companion, and look some other way, rather than at them. But as she started the get farther, he heard well her muttering about the bad direction the country goes to, and how it's all the Gaijins' fault somehow that there are lowlife on the street in plain day like that.</p><p>Shinji found the remark very rude, but a glance at Norton-san showed a lack of reaction, instead of an explosive outburst that the boy felt was about to come. As if the man didn't even hear it…</p><p>Still, that name … for some reason it made the boy feel a phantom pain at his cheek, and some strange feeling of fondness.</p><p>He shook his head again.</p><hr/><p>A tall man, from African descend, wearing sunglasses and a spider patterned tie with a purple tuxedo walked the city drawing little attention despite his colorful attire.</p><p>He could as well walk there naked and on the back of an elephant, with juggling dwarfs, rabbits and panthers, and still the spectacle would receive no attention.</p><p>In fact, most of the attention of those who passed by, and not dismissed him as unimportant out of hand, was instead on the old bum and a young boy in a leather jacket, obviously up to no good, who were some distance ahead of him.</p><p>"So dat is the target, hah… took it long enough to find, and I got plenty of findin stories.</p><p>"Not as I expected, specially with the wave ya caused by appearing.</p><p>"Sorry, Eighth, but I be bringin tragedy to your story."</p><hr/><p>The divine entity who was once Athena was a powerful being, even if she no longer had her full powers, and there was little she could not do.</p><p>Yet for some reason, information and location of the new child of Pandora was eluding her grasp.</p><p>She has sought to investigate the newly ascended Campione, to ensure that they will not steal her chosen prey. After all, with both devil kings so close there will be a fight, and she found the idea of someone else attacking, and slaying the one she had unfinished business with to be most unpleasant.</p><p>It would not do to have her hunt after the seventh canceled before it could even begin, due to the prey being denied to her before maturing into a better challenge, by a disagreeable competitor.</p><p>(And that was the reason for the flutter of her heart-the worry that the Eighth will deprive her of her beloved prey, not any personal care for King Godou himself! )</p><p>As a divinity, she was above petty mortal behavior, yet she could not help but feel…frustration at her repeated failures to learn anything at all about the Eighth Campione, and with the considerable power and knowledge she possessed, the thought of one hiding from her so well left her very uneasy.</p><p>Very, very uneasy.</p><p>And what started as scouting mission to evaluate the potential danger for the king that was to fall at her hands, at her will alone, to even the chances, turned into a frantic search throughout the island country of japan.</p><hr/><p>Shinji found his day ending with another game where he bet, and lost, some more of the pittance that remained in the wallet in his pocket.</p><p>Come evening, Norton-san turned gruff when talking to most of the volunteers in the shelter (at least to the male ones, he was much more polite to the female ones. Miss Judy attributed it as a personal achievement of hers and winked at him).</p><p>Still, the lost boy couldn't help but find something… endearing in the old man who seemingly took him under his wing, and shared some of his wisdom ("These are prime locations for finding good stuff-but don't you dare tell anyone of them, you hear!") And what might have been, maybe, a look of pride when the boy found a violin with the strings cut, on the ground at the dumpster between a liquor store, and what he suspected to be a brothel.</p><p>That was …nice. So much more than nice…</p><p>Shinji ended the night with a book he found left forgotten, about car mechanisms, and ended up engrossed in it until lights out.</p><p>He did not notice that the book was in German.</p><p>That night the king among paupers dreamed of Norton-san, going with him to another excursion in daylight, only to be shot by a tall, bearded man wearing dark sunglasses, who evoked fear, hatred and longing…</p><p>He awoke at that point, and although he managed to fall asleep again, his dreams were plagued by that person, the one whom had only the ominous label 'Commander'.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did I manage to make Norton a likable character or does he seem bland? i have plans for him to become of some import...</p><p>I hope Shinji was in character here-it was hard to write him.</p><p>a Zarbapha complained that it was boring and i need to add combat-im sorry, but im setting the mood for the clash i have in mind, and it will take some more chapters yet (though I think/hope it will worth the wait).</p><p>Next chapter will have some more panic at the missing 8th Campione and the potential havoc from him.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Sanity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"See, Shinji-boy, one man's garbage is another man's treasure-don't throw away something that could be useful later."</p><p>The boy rolled his eyes; this seemed to be a phrase Norton-san really liked. He sure kept repeating it often enough.</p><p>"Now, what useful items did you pick?"</p><p>Shinji showed his findings, as he voiced them.</p><p>"A pair of old boots, one stained by white paint, an old kimono, a bit moth eaten, some small change", he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and suddenly stopped to pick it up, Shinji found it to be a few coins with foreign words on them and briefly studied them before continuing, "American cents coins, a broken plastic toy-"</p><p>"Wait a moment, American what?"</p><p>"Cents-its small change- a hundred of them make one dollar."</p><p>The old man turned a scary gleeful expression on his face, as he said in a sweet tone, "You should give me that foreign change, kid, and you can keep the toy. I would have given you the boots, but they're too big for you. You know what, I'll even let you keep the kimono, and you can sell it in a secondhand and get the money to buy some strings for the Violin you've been anxiously hoardin in your corner ever since picking up the damn thing."</p><p>"You've... I wasn't hoarding it…" Shinji sheepishly tried to explain. "It's a good violin… and I was sad to see it thrown away, as if… useless…" that last word was barely above a whisper, so quite the old man almost missed it.</p><p>"There seem to be nothing more for this spot-now hold this bag and lets go to the next one. Maybe you 'l get lucky again. Or maybe a workin girl will pass by and you will get 'lucky', huh?"</p><p>Shinji spluttered, his face reddening as his mind conjured images of what the older man just mentioned.</p><p>As they walked on through the back alleys, passersby sliding cold, disgusted eyes from them, pretending the two didn't exist, Norton-san started talking.</p><p>"What's it with you and music anyway?"</p><p>"Sorry, Norton-san, but my memory is a bit fuzzy and confusing on things, so I may not remember it well."</p><p>"Tell me what you remember, we'll go from there. Small steps."</p><p>"Well, when I was young, well… young-er, I think, Sensei, who was my guardian at the time, put me to music lessons, so I won't be underfoot, and I ended up learning how to play the cello."</p><p>"What of your parents?"</p><p>"I'm not certain, but I think my mom died, when I was very young, and my dad gave me to Sensei to raise, and then he was gone. The memory of him was when I was just about fourteen, and it's so strange that it seems more dream then reality."</p><p>"And no other family ever came? Or asked?"</p><p>"No…?"</p><p>"Family is important, but the family you make as well-both with a wife when you get older, and with those who are the family of your heart, they're clan as well, not just what blood family you got, you understand? It took me too long to learn that particular lesson, you don't have to."</p><p>"I… I will think about that." The kid said, thinking over those words.</p><p>"See that you do. But it seems pretty clear to me-why did you think the memories fuzzy?"</p><p>"cause I keep remembering strange, impossible things. A strange fortress city nobody have heard about, with buildings that sink into the ground, and rise up, a mad scientist and attacking monsters, demons with angelic names. Even the stars sometimes seem not right!"</p><p>Norton frowned as he looked at the boy, and with a serious look on his face, deep in thought proceeded to scratch his chin.</p><p>"Well, how sure are you that you didn't drink anything funny?"</p><p>"I didn't! Drink anything like that, I mean."</p><p>"Or took a pill-it sound like quite the trip. You know that drugs are bad for you, right? They ruin the mind."</p><p>Now Shinji was frowning at the older man, as he replied.</p><p>"Norton-san! There wasn't anything of that sort-I just woke up in a hospital with strange memories, they would have found if drugs or alcohol were involved!"</p><p>The man stopped walking, causing his younger companion to stop as well.</p><p>"Well, as my Darling would say, treat the reality you are in now as if it were real, without contradicting the reality that seem strange now, maybe the will switch, and this one will be the strange one later. Treat the memories like they are real, and this place too.' Whether you are dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being you-it matters not.' She's smart like that, my Darling."</p><p>"Where is she now?"</p><p>"Why at home, waiting for her husband, of course. Where else would she be at this hour?"</p><p>Shinji nodded.</p><p>"Another thing she would say…"</p><p>"Yes…?" Shinji eagerly perked up, ready for more surprisingly good advice.</p><p>"Pick the cans from this trash basket here, would you? My back is aching-I'm not like I used to be."</p><p>Reluctantly, he proceeded to do just that. The money he found and presented to his elder companion still held by Norton in his pocket, both the local and the foreign currency, forgotten.</p><hr/><p>Sitting in front of a desk, working through paperwork, was a haggard form of that could have been called a most effeminate and pretty young man, were it not for the exhausted look and bags under their eyes. And the mistake of gander. A knock on the door and a tired call of "enter", followed, as a middle aged man in a suit entered.</p><p>"Sayanomiya-sama, I have brought the latest reports from the shrines and the priestesses." He bowed after saying it.</p><p>Sayanomiya Kaoru nodded and after a glance pointed at the only part of her desk that was clear of documents, returning to read through the document in her hands.</p><p>"Put it there, near the latest reports from our field agents."</p><p>" Sayanomiya-sama seems to work very hard."</p><p>"We have an unknown Devil King unaccounted, in the back yard of King Godou, after slaying an unknown Heretic god. Planning and scheming who knows what. It is a force that cannot be predicted or measured, cannot be stopped, cannot be reasoned with until found-and will do whatever it wishes. The lack of… anything, is unnerving, it's the silence before the storm! We must find the eighth Campione, or all of Tokyo, no all of japan may be in danger."</p><p>
  <em>'And maybe, finding the newest monarch will put my nightmares of Tokyo in flames and a laughing sovereign of a devil will ease up.'</em>
</p><p>The man turned white as sheet, and stammered "Y-yes, Sayanomiya-sama, I will see to increasing our efforts at once", bowed, and exited the room hastily, with the sound of running heard from outside the office.</p><p>The crossdressed woman glanced at the door, and muttered to herself.</p><p>"I just hope we won't be too late. For all I know, the eighth could be as new to magic as the seventh- now that's a scary thought. What someone ignorant would do with the power of a Godslayer… "</p><p>Suddenly her eyes widened, and she rose from her chair, struck by inspiration.</p><hr/><p>The operative hurried anxiously, hoping he wasn't making mistakes due to his shortened daily sleeping hour count and stressful work. The lack of…anything… about the new Campione had all field agents of the History Compilation Committee scrambling and working overtime.</p><p>Without any new evidence of the recently ascended King, his whereabouts, or a hint that he left, or even if he left or not, there was tension among those who worked in the field and were affiliated with the HCC. The pressure to find something, right from the Elders themselves, only made it all the more difficult.</p><p>And to think that he really was really hoping to get a chance to ask that pretty westerner, Judy-san, out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Insight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Plot Thickens</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinji found himself waking up, surprisingly, to a familiar ceiling.</p><p>Norton-san was up and about already.</p><p>"ya took your time-up and at them, before they run out of breakfast-you'll stay hungry all day otherwise."</p><p>Reluctantly, the boy did just that, rising to greet another uncertain day.</p><p>"And you didn't ask to bring it to me, so you could get seconds?" Shinji murmured to himself.</p><p>Apparently he was not as quiet as he thought.</p><p>"I would'na do something like that! The food my Darling makes me is more than enough! Darling is all I need."</p><p>With a huff, the man left, turning up his nose.</p><p>Only now paying attention, did Shinji notice the dorm to be mostly empty- just a him and an old man he didn't recognize, or remember being introduced to sitting in a far corner, who upon noticing being stared at, gave the boy a suspicious glare.</p><p>Shinji averted his eyes at once, and went towards the cafeteria.</p><p>It was half occupied, despite the many having already eaten the breakfast previously.</p><p>'<em>Are they here with seconds, somehow? Or does this place serve too many people to feed them all in a single sitting?'</em></p><p>As Shinji approached the stall, its worker, a foreigner from the west with a lilting accent greeted him in almost singing tone.</p><p>"Ho, Shinji-chan, goodo morning, the sleeping beauty is awake, Do not worry, Antonio here will fetch you breakfast at once. "</p><p>As he did it, he also added a small plate with noodles and brown balls, covered with a red sauce.</p><p>"This is proper Italian pasta- so that a growing boy will be like a Greek god when he grows up, is better than the instant reman stuff. Enjoy." He winked, before adding in a mock whisper, "Aaand the Judy asked for you to come to the office after you eat. You seem to have left an impression, Casanova!"</p><p>Struggling to hold his blush, the boy just nodded, and mouthing thanks, went for an empty table in a corner.</p><p>The soup was as unremarkable as his expectations and memories from yesterday said it would be, but the pasta and the brown balls (meatballs, he soon noticed) were good, the sauce-tomato, with just a bit of garlic and pepper, did interesting thing to the noodles, though Shinji couldn't help but wonder, if a bit of spices wouldn't improve it.</p><p>Then, he got the mental image of a can of beer, being poured directly into the finished product. The boy shook his head. <em>'Where did that come from?'</em></p><p>Though he had a set of memories explaining the source for this insight, unbelievable and incompatible with his current reality as they were.<em> 'No, don't think about it. Think of something else- I wonder what Judy-san wanted…'</em></p><p>Preoccupied with his thoughts, he didn't notice the figure that set beside him, and started kidnapping meatballs, until one he tried to pick up, was moved right before his eyes.</p><p>"Norton-san? it's my breakfast!"</p><p>"You went through the soup superfast, and then took your time with the gaijin meal, so I came to help. What's ya thinkin so hard on?"</p><p>"Ah… Judy-san asked to talk with me after breakfast… and…"</p><p>"Ah. Don't worry, it's probably about school or parents… come on, I'll lead you to the office, before going back home to Darling. She's missing me-shouldn't make the good woman wait more then she has to."</p><p>"Hai." Replying emotionlessly, the boy followed the man, until they reached an office door.</p><p>There was an argument on the other side, loud enough to be noticed through the door, but not enough to be discernable.</p><p>Shinji clanked at Norton-san, who glanced back, and reluctantly, the boy raised his arm to knock on the door, just as it opened, and a typical looking Japanese man in a suit was storming out. He briefly looked at Norton-san, a myriad of emotions switching on his face, before his features schooled themselves into neutrality, and with a rude shove he left.</p><p>"Yousuke? Yousuke, is that you?" Norton san called after him.</p><p>The man said mumbled about delusional old fools, and walked faster.</p><p>"Shinji!" Judy-san called, a smile now on her face.</p><p>"Sorry, Judy-san. Should I return again later?"</p><p>"No, no, think nothing of it, now why won't you come in? Thank you for guiding him here, Kevin."</p><p>The old man smiled. "I'll go back to Darling, you should visit us someday, Joo-dee, she's been askin me to introduce you for ages…"</p><p>Shinji noticed that the smile became forced, as Judy-san politely declined.</p><p>After the old man left, the woman closed the door into the office, more like a desk with documents on it and chairs on either side, with little else, in a small room.</p><p>"Is something wrong with Norton-san's wife? You didn't seem eager about her…"</p><p>"Shinji-kun… There is no wife…"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Kevin is a widower. He has been for five years."</p><p>"So you know who he is! You found his identity! He can return home now!" this was good news, even as he felt the sting of disappointment that Norton-san would leave him.</p><p>The woman grimaced, before sighing.</p><p>"I'm afraid it's not so simple, Shinji."</p><p>He felt uncomfortable feeling.</p><p>Judy-san continued. "The man that just left- mister Yousuke, he is the son of the man Kevin Norton used to be. After his fater lost his darling wife and became a widower, he couldn't take it… he started talking as if she is still alive, talking to himself, and it apparently got worse from there.</p><p>"The Japanese culture is particularly unaccepting of madness, and psychology has been considered a dirty word since after world war 2, and it never got better. The man kicked his delusional father out of his home, and declared him a stranger, refusing to acknowledge him."</p><p>"But this is his family-his father-"</p><p>"Shinji", the woman spoke sadly, "You may have been fortunate to not notice it yet, but your people have very strong opinions about psychological problems, and people that don't fit the mold of society.</p><p>"As far as the law concerned, if Kevin is really crazy, he will be locked up. Otherwise he has to live on the street, out of sight. There is no going back for Kevin."</p><p>The young boy said nothing, as he lowered his head and slowly digested it.</p><p>After a minute of silence, with a heavy heart, he raised is again, a heavy feeling in his stomach.</p><p>"Is… is that why you called me?"</p><p>"Somewhat. I'm sorry, shinji, but the infrastructure here in japan lacks a proper social system. Even the developed, American one is full of issues. I won't ask what you were running away from, but you should know, we can't really havea kid here in the shelter indefinitely, so I wanted to discuss alternate options with you."</p><p>The boy said nothing.</p><p>"If you won't, or can't return home, we could help you. If it's really bad, we…that is, I and some people I know, might help you find someone who will adopt you. I can't stop you from running again, but I think it would be best if you don't go on living on the street."</p><hr/><p>"Yeah, like, will this really get cthulhu to wake up?"</p><p>"It will be just like in ta story, tis is ta real deal god summonin' magic. From the pages of the Necronomicon!"</p><p>The two teens looked at each other, then back at the black skinned man with the spider patterned tie, and replied simultaneously.</p><p>"Cool!"</p><p>It seemed that there were many Lovecraft fans in this island country.</p><p>'<em>Just shows that a good story is appreciated everywhere!'</em></p><p>Others were attracted to the nihilistic nature of the attempt, and the group he found most tolerable- those who agreed to join the ritual to break the monotony of their boring lives.</p><p>And the fools that came for the promise of a drug like they wouldn't believe… well, it was making something the society discarded into something useful- that was recycling, wasn't it? Especially as they would prove too out of it to run away after the summons.</p><p>He was as charismatic as always, and had no problem convincing some fellows to contribute and join this venture.</p><p>Soon, he will bring to life yet another story-even if the horror genre wasn't his usual forte.</p><p>'<em>I hope the Great Old One will prove interesting. And even if not-this is yet another thing nobody tried before."</em></p><p>As the sacrifice was made ready, and his would be cultists started chanting, he prepared his own power, his unique affinity, to use as the power and intent for the ritual.</p><p>"Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Fhtagn! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"</p><p>The being masquerading as a man, turned its will and power, focusing on its intent, and whispered, as the chanting grew more loud and frantic, some already overtaken by the madness.</p><p>"<strong>Ia! Ia! Atlach Fhtagn!"</strong></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. And Madness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kusanagi Godou found his next few days… different. His little sister has directed her attention towards the woman who announced her intention to become their 'new grandma', muttering about grandpa Ichirou and his lecherous ways.</p><p>It was an indescribable relief, not to have Shizuka focused on him. she tended to jump to the worst conclusions about him.</p><p>Somehow having Grandpa courted by a woman at least twenty five years younger made what should have been a blessed calm into a strange unease.</p><p>For some reason, Godou found himself disliking the thought of his grandfather remarrying, even though grandma was dead for some time. Shizuka agreeing with him was more surprising then he would admit. She really disliked the woman that came to replace grandma.</p><p>Grandpa Ichirou really was a Player, to have a much younger woman seek and court him, claiming to want to marry him. That she was an exotic foreigner and held a kid of mature beauty did absolutely nothing to help the Grandson's piece of mind.</p><p>The Devil King known for his lechery found himself scowling at the thought.</p><p>'<em>What will be next? Cousin Sakura marrying Amakusa-san?'</em></p><p>Godou tried to dispel the horrible thought, and think on something else.</p><p>And a distraction just arrived.</p><p>"Hey, Erica…"</p><p>"…"</p><p>"Erica, Is something wrong?"</p><p>"No, Nothing's wrong, Godou."</p><p>For some strange reason, Erica seemed as shocked by the would be 'step grandma' as he was. Did she doubt the many references made to his grandfather's playboy like youth? Lucretia-san left unmistakable innuendos about the older man, and Shizuka loudly spoke of the lady-killer ways of their ancestor all too often.</p><p>"Erica, are there any news about the eighth?"</p><p>There was no need to elaborate eighth what.</p><p>"No. I have been keeping contact with both the History Compilation Committee and my other sources in the city, as well as the Copper-Black Cross Headquarters. There is absolutely nothing. On either the identity of the new king, or their location, present or past. The quite unnerves everyone."</p><p>The Seventh Campione couldn't help but agree. If the eighth was troublesome, they should meet and fight and be done with it, and if not, to get to talk in peace. All that uncertain waiting was wearing on him as well.</p><p>Surely it was long enough for newest GodSlayer to notice they weren't normal anymore. He studiously ignored the implication that he too, was deluding himself with his wish of normal life.</p><p>"What are you thinking about so hard, Godou?" the Italian girl asked, breaking him from his thoughts and pulling his attention back to the world around them.</p><p>"I'm thinking-this quiet, it can't be a good sign. What would an unscrupulous person would do with the power and authorities of a god… "</p><p>The Diavolo Rosso smirked, pouncing on the opening she noticed, and Godou had a sinking feeling he wouldn't like what was coming.</p><p>"Maybe also gather a harem of beautiful girls and lead them all on?"</p><p>The phrase was heard by, and, as all too often happened to him lately, misunderstood.</p><p>"My liege, what is she talking about? I know I am merely your sworn knight, but who else gathers a harem? Whom did you teach your appetites? Such a corruption goes against a knight's code to accept!"</p><hr/><p>As the spider patterned black man added more and more power to the ritual, investing his own, even throwing in his 'special touch' altering the ritual to his purpose, until something within changed. Something on the other side grabbed the power he was funneling and started greedily draining him, like a hungry infant drinking mother's milk for the first time.</p><p>Soon the change was clearly visible around the entire place.</p><p>"Whoa… it's working"</p><p>Within moments the deity appeared, only it was not the one summoned.</p><p>His change took root.</p><p>The monstrous Heretic God then blinked, took in the surroundings, and proceeded to fall upon the cultists, or at least those among them not lost to the madness that came with it, or too drunk, as they tried to flee in fear.</p><p>None have escaped. Those lacking the sense to run, and failing to attract its attention thus were not spared though.</p><p>Among the screams and devouring carnage, laughter would have been heard, has there been anything alive left to hear it.</p><hr/><p>"Hey, Shinji-kun, I want you to meet someone!" Judy-san called cheerfully.</p><p>She introduced Shinji to a severe looking Japanese woman in her forties, wearing a long, black business skirt and jacket, hair in a bun to complete the image of the mature, stern, no-nonsense teacher.</p><p>"This is Hyuga-san; she will be the social service agent handling your case."</p><p>"So you are Shinji… What is your full name, boy!"</p><p>"J-just Shinji, ma'am…" he meekly replied.</p><p>The last name from his memories…he was hesitant to use it for some reason…</p><p>To show clear disapproval, without changing the neutral expression on the face should have been impossible, but somehow, the woman managed it.</p><p>"Well, 'Shinji', you will be going with me. We will find you proper parents." He got the feeling she added dislike to the last two words, but wasn't sure.</p><p>She then proceeded to ask him a series of questions, and fill his answers, with little interest, before declaring he better get ready, he was going with her now. And no nonsense, the gaijin here may tolerate tomfoolery, but she will not!"</p><p>The familiarity of that attitude and tone, of this behavior, was more saddening to Shinji then that it happened in the first place.</p><p>They proceeded and left towards the parking, and the car that would take him away from this familiar place, when an old man called.</p><p>"Hey, Shinji-boy. You forgot something!"</p><p>"Norton-san! I-"</p><p>"Get away from us!" Hyuga-san yelled shrilly.</p><p>"I just want the boy to take his stuff-you forgot the violin!" as he was gesturing with the stringless violin shinji has picked up with him some days ago.</p><p>The Violin evoked a strange feeling, a strong longing, within him.</p><p>"Get away from that…man, boy!" the woman shrilly called, dragging him.</p><p>"Just let me take the violin, please!" Shinji bagged, not even trying to resist her pulling him.</p><p>And the moment the old man got close enough to pass the item, jabbing it forward towards him, Shinji starched his arm, and grabbed the broken instrument. The woman pulling him away from the man just as he grasped it, with one hand, and pushing poor Norton-san with the other, visibly shuddering at the touch of his coat.</p><p>The man fell with a yelp.</p><p>The boy felt something terrible about to happen just as he did.</p><p>Screams started sounding from the other side of the building, and strange sounds of…chittering and skittering…</p><p>People started running towards the cars parked, panicking, some calling to run.</p><p>Suddenly spiders, giant spiders, appeared from behind them, in pursuit.</p><p>They would skitter close, and then jump on people, covering them in silk, or dragging them, and behind them, behind the building and above it was…</p><p>"To the car, boy!" the social agent yelled, and ragged him into it, entering herself soon after, and after swiftly strapping his seatbelt, started driving, her eyes constantly turning to the car mirror, looking at what was behind her.</p><p>As Shinji, full of fear and incomprehension at the impossible sight, more fitting the impossible memories he discarded, he found himself stuck, between the world before his eyes now, and the world he remembered, and only now, did anything fit both.</p><p>As he glanced at the rear view mirror, while Hyuga-san was driving away, and sounding panicked, he couldn't help but glance at it, where he saw one of the spiders pick the form of Norton-san, who was still on the ground, not rising after the shove that felled him. The spider seemed to be taking him towards the giant monster beyond him, that made Shinji scared just looking at, and caused a small headache.</p><p>He remembered another impossible time, when was in a car escaping from a giant monster. Another impossible time when he ran away and good people got hurt. Shinji didn't notice his fists clench. The words came to him on their own.</p><p>"I mustn't run away! I mustn't run away! I mustn't run away!"</p><p>Before he knew what he was doing, he pushed open the locked door of the driving car, to the surprised screams of the woman at the wheel, and jumped away rolling the momentum of it on the ground without knowing why, as if he did it many times before, and was soon running towards the enormous insects. He noticed out of his peripheral vision the car driving away.</p><p>Shinji did not know what he was doing, but he no longer cared.</p><p>It felt familiar, somehow, despite his crazy action, it felt… right…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wanted the first part to be a Godou scene, but unsure how well it went, somehow it seem to be not as good as I was hoping to write it. more on the woman that came to court Ichirou later (I already got a background and ideas for what to do with her, but if a better one is suggested I will implement it).</p><p>How successful was I in making the middle segment a good horror mystery scene?</p><p>this is the start of the action arc, and finally Shinji meeting a Heretic God.</p><p>How will he handle it, without yet knowing about them, or himself? which monster was summoned? all that and more in the next chapter-where the confrontation itself will finally begin.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Spiders and Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinji didn't know what he was doing even as he was about to engage the closest of these… Spiders…</p><p>And then it was too late for thoughts, even if they only contained uncertainty and confusion. And fear.</p><p>The spider was upon him.</p><p>Too many pitch black eyes looked at him, incomprehensible and alien. Agitated clicks seemed to be emanated from the creature above the boy. For some bizarre reason, its purple coloration sparked familiarity within it's would be victim.</p><p>And after an undetermined time as the boy screamed in panic and flailed, dodging pincers from the furry spider monster that was on him, a wild punch that he threw connected, the spider was on the ground in him, twitching and folded, out of it, at least for the moment.</p><p>'<em>Did I just</em><em>-?'</em></p><p>And then his body, continuing following strange instincts, moved aside, and he redirected his attention on the reason for it-another spider. His body, still acting as if on autopilot, kicked that one, sending it flying aside.<em>'</em> <em>Is their biomass that light</em><em>?'</em></p><p>The Lost Boy continued to punch and kick spiders away from himself, now only yelling as he attacked, in anger, rather than constantly, in fright.</p><p>Until he glimpsed the cocooned form of Norton-san, carried towards the enormous spider in the background.</p><p>Refocusing on his new target, he sprinted, punching and kicking any arachnid that got close by instinct, too busy to be weirded out.</p><p>It was a whirlwind of Boy and Spiders.</p><p>As Shinji got closer and closer, it seemed that more of the spiders rushed him, judging by the amount of punching he found himself doing.</p><p>He was in no condition to notice just how fast he was closing in.</p><p>And then he was there. His goal within meters.</p><p>The spiders also seemed to get slightly bigger.</p><p>With a wordless shout, and all his might, the boy charged the spider carrying his friend, and punched.</p><p>Somehow, his fist punched right through. The spider did stop at once, falling motionless, dropping its cargo.</p><p>Utterly disgusted, the boy pulled his fist from where it penetrated elbow deep within the bulbous butt of the spider. He voiced 'yuck' at the sight of the slimy substance the arm.</p><p>Trying to wipe it on the spider corpse, with little success, and after a glance at his own clothes dismissing the idea of using them, he rushed to the cocoon nearby.</p><p>Just in time to see another spider approaching it.</p><p>Seemingly seeing the boy rushing it with a scream, the spider back away fast on its many legs.</p><p>Gulping air like water, trying to steady his breathing, Shinji tore the webbing, and held Norton –san.</p><p>"Norton-san, wake up. Wake up. Please. Wake up!"</p><p>Getting no reaction, he gathered his courage, and after some more hesitation, dared to slap the man into awakening with his right hand.</p><p>The left holding him, supporting the back of the man.</p><p>"Shinji-boy? This… This isn't a dream then?" a confused old man spoke, groggy as if just waking.</p><p>"N-Norton-san!" The boy exclaimed with relief.</p><p>The old man glanced sideways, and saw the spider corpse, and an idea formed in his mind, but, first…</p><p>"Did you come here alone?" he gently asked.</p><p>'I didn't see any one else, but-"</p><p>"Thanks, kid."</p><p>"This can't be real. But it is. It reminds me of the strange dreams I had, but how could it be? It makes no sense. This is-" The boy said faster and faster, in a quiet tone, his confusion and inability to accept the reality he just experienced visible in his shaky voice.</p><p>"Hey, Shinji-boy, maybe your strange memories were of some secret Yankee military project, and the fortress city a secret base? Maybe some MIB bullshit made you confused?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"It makes sense, as much as anything with giant spiders can-I bet they are some military experiment too. You better not let them Yankees catch you-They will lock you in this Area 52 of theirs! It's too late for me, but you got a chance. "</p><p>"Wha-what do you mean too late?"</p><p>"I feel cold, too cold…"</p><p>"You just need a better coat, Wait here, Norton-san, I'll be right back!" With these words, Shinji gently put him on the floor, and turned around to look for something, anything, to keep the elder worm, and noticed that the spiders still kept coming, but were avoiding his spot, keeping an empty circle around him as they rushed past.</p><p>And then he heard dripping.</p><p>IT was probably only due to the adrenaline that he even heard the sound.</p><p>Red liquid was dripping from the arm that held Norton moments before; brief inspection confirmed the blood wasn't his.</p><p>"Afraid I can't, Boy."</p><p>Turning his head towards the prone man, Shinji saw a small pool of dark liquid beneath the man, red stains to his side.</p><p>He just stood there, not moving, even his eyes from the bloodied form.</p><p>"Hey, kid, you tried, and that's important, maybe even the most important .</p><p>"No, Norton-san, hold on! Help is surely on the way! You are a good boy, Shinji."</p><p>And then a great form fell, crushing the man to death under a blackish, chitinous pillar.</p><p>A glance upwards revealed it to belong to the massive spider. Another cocoon in its foremost legs, and halfway in its maw. Someone, another person whom Shinji failed, obviously inside. And now just as dead.</p><p>The creature didn't even seem to notice it stepped on a potential meal. For this impossibly sized insect, the humans were just… insects.</p><p>There was not even a hint of any would be help coming. He was alone. Again.</p><p>The boy wished he could do something, anything. He wished he could destroy The Spidery behemoth, who invoked instinctive hatred within him. A desire to crush that Oversized Bug.</p><p>Deep within himself, in the utter desolation he felt, the Old Memories, previous discarded as impossible felt fitting and right and calling.</p><p>'<em>In the end, Maybe the old man was right? Or maybe I, too, will find some comfort and no longer be hurt, in that madness</em><em>? '</em></p><p>With nothing left to lose, he embraced what he discarded before. <em>'I just wish I could do something about these spiders</em><em>.'</em></p><p>And, surprisingly, he felt something, deep within him, answering. A power calling to be used.</p><p>He was uncertain if that was the start of his own insanity, but still, he accepted it, and followed the instinct.</p><p>He called the strange words the appeared in his mind out of nowhere, felt them reverberating within himself. Somehow they felt… fitting… to this moment.</p><p>"<strong>I Stand between the Realms, the Gate and the Blockade. Through me passage is granted to essence and form</strong><strong>."</strong></p><p>Next thing he knew everything seemed to disappear in shadows all around him. Soon, somehow, he found himself in what looked like a cockpit, wearing not his clothes, but the form fitting plug suit from his impossible visions of a past that wasn't.</p><p>He could not contemplate it for long, though, as screen before him sprang to life, showing the arachnid behemoth, lying on a crashed building, as if thrown from below. The Spider was rising up, none the worse to wear, and ready for round two.</p><p>Shinji felt fear well within him. At the impossibility that just occurred, at its meaning and implications, at… everything.</p><p>The Third Child was furious, and ready for a fight, mind focused on killing a Spider.</p><hr/><p>Godou got his first clue that the day will be one of <em>these days</em> when he felt a strange sensation. One he has come to associate with…</p><p>And sure enough soon Erica greeted him.</p><p>"Godou, an unknown Heretic god descended."</p><p>Once again, Amakusa-san was waiting in a van.</p><p>At least it was in a poorer part of the city, and less likely to destroy much of it.</p><p>Soon they stopped at what looked like a cordon, where Amakusa greeted and talked to another man, who bowed low to Godou afterwards, before departing somewhere.</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>"It seems that, just like the Monkey King, Sage Equaling heavens-this god, to has animal subordinates, this time it's-"</p><p>"Another wave!" someone called.</p><p>"Spiders." Amakusa-san finished flatly, and Godou soon saw for himself –a wave of giant spiders, pincers clicking, rushing towards their position.</p><p>He glanced at the girls told Erica to help from the distance if she sees and opening, asking how he could help. He couldn't use any of his authorities for that.</p><p>"Thank you, Your Majesty, But we will hold, for now. You should focus on the probable source of these spiders." Amakusa-san politely replied, pointing at the mountain behind him.</p><p>Only it took Godou too much to recognize the small mountain as a Spider, as big as his boar, maybe even bigger.</p><p>Now that was a good target. Also a good way to release his frustrations.</p><p>"I think I have to call the Bull."</p><p>Just as The Seventh Campione was about to call His own Giant animal-the only authority he considered fitting, at least until Yuri will see into the nature of this Heretic God, or Erica figure it out, a third Repeat of the previous Supernatural emergency that needed his attention appeared.</p><p>The Purple Giant.</p><p>"So The Eighth was still around…" he heard Amakusa-san mutter.</p><p>"Does Their Majesty, the Eighth not know this territory is of King Godou? Such an act is extremely disrespectful towards a fellow Devil King." Aaand of course Erica had to make it troublesome, just as he thought, that maybe, he wouldn't have to get into such a troublesome situation, this time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Battle of Giants</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the roof of a building, at the edge of Cordoned Territory, a young girl stood.</p><p>The sight of a child in such a place, standing on the roof and gazing intently into closed off part of the city would have alarmed people. Even disturbed some, had they chanced a glance into the eyes of the figure-as there was something…ancient in them… something beyond human ken, something unknowable.</p><p>There was none around to make such observations-the area was abandoned.</p><p>The Divine ancestor Athena gazed at the blockade of the area, and more importantly, at the barriers beyond it.</p><p>The barrier to ward off unwary mortals was one she seen before, employed by the mages of this kingdom, this country, probably to keep ignorant mortals out of the battlefield.</p><p>It was of no interest. Her attention was on the second, far more subtle barrier.</p><p>The one powered by a Divinity.</p><p>Its purpose was not very complicated to figure, once she noticed its existence-something that was extremely difficult even for her.</p><p>It was there to dull the unmistakable presence of the Heretic god inside, so as to only alert those on the island country itself to its descend. And prevent Campione or Deities from entering, by convincing them to avoid the area inside and joining the inevitable fight about to occur inside so subtly that they would think it their own intention.</p><p>As despite her halting her quest for the illusive 8th, and rushing towards the emerging deity, and even noticing the barrier meant to keep her out, she has found herself not wanting to breach it, but standing on the outside edges of it, hesitating-it was also-</p><p>"This, is strong."</p><p>-very powerful.</p><p>She stood there, frowning in a way that would have been mistaken for a cute pout on her youthful appearance, as she thought about what to do, still reluctant to enter the territory inside.</p><p>She was considering the proper course for full five minutes, before deciding to look for clues from outside its edge, and her current location.</p><p>Try as she might, the once mother goddess and now Divine ancestor could not identify the god or goddess responsible for it.</p><p>She identified the familiar pangs of a deity from the Dark Continent, but not much more. It did seem strangely familiar to her senses, for some reason.</p><p>"Strange..."</p><p>Soon the Heretic that ascended made itself known, taking the form of a gigantic spider, with hundreds of smaller ones beneath it.</p><p>Spider deities were rare.</p><p>Still, for all her attempts, for all her wisdom and experience, the once goddess Athena failed to identify the god before her.</p><p>Something about it seemed…out of place… not entirely there…</p><p>It was like some part of it was missing. Like it wasn't an entirely Heretic god.</p><p>'<em>How can, deity, only be part heretic?' </em>Athena wondered.</p><p>She tried to reach out with her sense, through the annoying barrier, and piece more about the god.</p><p>She got nothing, and her probes were being ignored, as the Spidergod gorged itself on nearby mortals that its minions picked up and brought it, until an explosion of power revealed another presence.</p><p>"I finally caught you, eighth. "</p><p>The quarry she was looking for, the still utterly unknown newest Devil King, appeared.</p><p>It was in the form of the purple giant with a horn on its forehead and large petrusions from its shoulders, as reported being seen on his (or her) ascension, and she knew there would be a battle of giants here.</p><p>The Divine ancestor frowned.</p><p>"The barrier, masks the presence. Of the eighth, almost completely."</p><p>She resolved to have a serious discussion with the eighth about their intentions, to warn that Kusanagi Godou was off limits, should they survive the battle.</p><p>And should they fall, her chosen prey will get to sharpen his claws on a weary and tired foe, growing stronger for their clash in the future.</p><hr/><p>Shinji felt strangely nostalgic for some reason.</p><p>Here he was, facing a giant monster, a Kaiju right out of movies, from the cockpit of a giant mecha.</p><p>'<em>An evangelion. If these memory like dreams, or dreamlike memories hold any truth.'</em></p><p>"Now how do I move it?"</p><p>He suddenly had a memory, almost a flashback, of a blond woman in a lab coat telling him to think on moving-that the Eva will react to his thoughts and move accordingly.</p><p>AS the boy glanced at the Huge Spider, another face appeared in his minds eye.</p><p>It was a bearded man, wearing glasses with red colored lenses.</p><p>The main source of hatred and pain in those memories.</p><p>"If you're going to pilot it, do it now and quickly. If not, then leave!"</p><p>Then another voice, more recently familiar echoed in his thoughts.</p><p>"Whether you dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being you-it matters not."</p><p>"Norton-san."</p><p>The boy closed his eyes, as the spider charged him, and tried to remember, to condense all the experience he had, fighting in the Eva.</p><p>He then opened his eyes.</p><p>Just as the Spider was about to reach him, raising its foremost legs for strike, the boy, and through him, the Purple Giant, stepped aside at the last minute, with speed and grace that belayed its enormous size, sending an uppercut punch into the thorax of the arachnid.</p><p>As the monster seemed to daze from the hit, Shinji proceeded to punch it in the face, but it spit something into the face of the Eva, obscuring his vision.</p><p>Unable to see, Shinji tried to move aside, to avoid the inevitable counterattack.</p><p>He only partly succeeded.</p><p>The spider got him in a glancing hit to the chest. One that Shinji felt acutely as if he himself was hit. It felt like a shallow cut.</p><p>And then he fell.</p><p>Attempts to move the legs gave a tight feeling, as if something tied them up together.</p><p>As he tried to wipe out the congealed mass covering the face of the Eva, the Pilot felt strange thing on his chest.</p><p>The stuff on the face of Unit-01 proved sticky and hard to remove, and by the time he managed to do so, he found himself halfway cacooned.</p><p>This was why the Kaiju wasn't attacking its helpless foe-it was wrapping it up for dinner.</p><p>"No, you won't!" Shinji angrily called, and reached for his left shoulder pauldron, which, responding to his intent, opened, allowing him to withdraw the weapon stored inside.</p><p>The Progressive Knife.</p><p>The boy used the High frequency vibrating blade of the giant knife to cut through the webbing as the weaving of a god parted at the molecular level cutting of the impossibly sharp mundane tool.</p><p>The webbing struggled a bit at the first cut, but then gave in.</p><p>The Spider was apparently displeased by it, as it jumped at its humanoid foe like a jumping spider.</p><p>The jump was fast and strong, a page from the Jumping Spider, but Part of his Piloting training included knife combat training, even if, admittedly only after months of argument from Misato.</p><p>Shinji raised his armed hand, and cut at the landing spider with expertise born from his drills.</p><p>Showing that spider did have a sixth sense for trouble, the Kaiju moved, losing only half of one foot, instead of getting a grievous wound.</p><p>His drills, however never said anything about fighting an enemy with so many arms.</p><p>The loss of one limb did not stop the strike of three more.</p><p>One of which hit the hand holding the Progressive Knife, sharp tip first, piercing it.</p><p>Shinji screamed in phantom pain of having something sharp run through the back of his hand, and could no longer hold his weapon.</p><p>The Spider, too, chittered in anger at the hit, and then chittered some more.</p><p>Something pinched Shinji.</p><p>Glancing down, he saw the smaller spiders, those not yet stepped on and crushed by the two battling giants, climbing on his Eva body, ineffectually biting.</p><p>He had no doubt they were trying to inject their venom.</p><p>He had little time to see them struggle in vein against the best armor NERV put on their war machine.</p><p>He tried to shake them off with his hands once, taking cruel delight in crushing as many as he could in a single go, before returning his focus on the main target.</p><p>…which was munching on one of its own spiders!</p><p>Shinji found himself even more disgusted with the monster, as after eating its minions? Children? Its cut off leg grew back within moments.</p><p>it then did some strange dance and chitter, and Shinji somehow felt, as holes, many many Holes leading…Somewhere Else… somewhere not on earth…opened around him, more of these bloated purple spiders running out of them. The boy felt that there were…unlimited numbers of spiders on the other side.</p><p>'<em>So I have to finish it quickly, before I drown in spiders.'</em></p><p>The Pilot of Unit-01 clenched his fists, the phantom pain in the right one spiking, before charging his opponent.</p><p>He tried to wrestle with the Spider, to bypass the many skittering limbs and reach the main body, but the spider seemed to get the hang of it.</p><p>Shinji had to take another piercing hit, this one into his left shoulder, to get close enough.</p><p>It was painful.</p><p>And the chittering at his own painful attack-a successful attempt to blind some of those many eyes by literally poking them was satisfying sound for the raging boy.</p><p>It also seemed the point where the something changed about the monster, and things took a turn for the worse.</p><p>It started chittering in what seemed to be a strange melody, and the many spiderlings chittered it right after.</p><p>With the first sentence, Shinji felt a headache from nowhere, at the third line it spiked resulting in blinding migraine, and at the fourth, he felt his ears ringing. If not for being submerged in LCL and the smell of blood, he would have felt his ears and nose bleeding as well.</p><p>The boy redoubled his efforts with full zeal.</p><p>He knew, instinctively, that he could not allow the chanting, singing, whatever it was, to finish-that it will be the end of him.</p><p>With a great roar, the Evangelion moved faster at that moment than any other in that battle, and struck at the spider's head again, trying to grab one of its fangs with both his arms.</p><p>With a great yell, he pulled with all the might he could.</p><p>The then suddenly fell, as a great crush resounded. Judging by the crash, someone's house was also gone. And only the fang, still held in his hands, showed that any of it was a victory.</p><p>The headache started lessening.</p><p>Shinji shook the smaller spiders climbing on the face of the Eva and the rest of its body with one hand, before returning it to hold on the impromptu weapon.</p><p>The Spider seemed pissed, and as the Eva rose with a humanlike grace and swiftness, it raised a single leg, which moved swiftly, drawing a pattern in the air with the eerie glow that was left in its wake. Once it was finished, a bolt of energy flew fast from it towards Shinji, Black and seemingly devouring all light around it.</p><p>He dodged it by a hairbreadth, succeeding only due to the impossibly fast and humanlike response of the Eva, made possible by the high synchronization.</p><p>Again, Shinji had to shield his vision with his left hand form spiders trying to jump onto his head. The boy hardly noticed that the amount of spiders trying to bite the Eva to death tripled.</p><p>This time when he was within rage, the boy didn't hesitate. He struck at the middle of the spider with the fang, still held in hand.</p><p>The Monster tried to shriek as the fang broke through its carapace and sunk deep into its abdomen from underneath. Then it continued shrieking as Shinji dragged it across, forcibly cutting the abdomen open.</p><p>Reaching all the way to its rear end, the boy pulled the fang out, and while the Spider was losing the insides now falling from its cut abdomen, struck it in the middle.</p><p>With another scream, followed by Unit-01 roaring, he proceeded to move the fang back and forth, trying to use it to saw apart the spider into two parts from the middle.</p><p>It was the wrong shape for this task, and it took him considerable much time to finish it. Shinji was expecting renewed resistance at any moment.</p><p>When he finally finished the troublesome and difficult task of severing the spider in two, he saw the reason for it.</p><p>It was finally dead.</p><p>Of the countless spiderling that kept appearing there was no sign.</p><p>Even the crushed ones disappeared, as if by magic.</p><p>And The Third Child felt his own strength gone as well, no longer empowered by adrenaline. He felt his body about to crash.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am still struggling writing fight scenes, and this one seem awkward at best to me. is it just me or should I rework it? if so, how?</p><p>As for the battle itself, neither Shinji, nor the Heretic god (name, history and authorities will be revealed in next chapter) were on top of their game. Shinji is still unsure of his memories, and didn't use the full extend of Unit-01 or his experience (and with the training between the angels, I am sure he did undergo some knife and gun training, even if he ended up using the weapons in combat and only later getting the rudimentary instruction on proper usage. and then some more advanced instructions-so he knows, has been trained how to use a knife or gun).</p><p>Review please.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Show and Disappear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the Purple Giant that was the eighth Campione made its appearance, Godou found himself unable to tear his eyes away from it, from the battle about to commence.</p><p>The giant sidestepped the spider and punched it, showing that it still had speed and dexterity in its oversized form.</p><p>He saw as the heretic god spit something into the face of the devil king as it felled the giant, proceeding to spin its thread and wrap up the Campione, swiftly cocooning from legs to torso it with the many spidery thin limbs.</p><p>Only when it was reaching for the stomach, halfway done, purple arms reached towards its upper back, and somehow withdrew a blade from somewhere, a giant knife for the giant humanlike figure.</p><p><em>'It even has a weapon?</em> '</p><p>Idly, Godou wondered how the giant knife would fare against his own, admittedly much smaller, Golden Sword.</p><p>He saw that as the eighth cut itself free, the spider god jumped at him, and then tried to move aside, as that immense knife slashed at it, cutting one of its legs.</p><p>Soon the Purple Giant roared, its voice that of a great beast rather than a roaring warrior.</p><p>Its foe chattered back –which seemed to be the spider version of a roar.</p><p>They fought, Spider versus Giant, demolishing their surroundings, neither showing any other authorities, accept the spider calling for more of its minions…</p><p>Godou couldn't help but be a bit disappointed.</p><p>When they finally stopped being content with just that wrestling and the Heretic God raised one of its remaining spidery legs and started drawing what looked like glowing runes in the air, he heard a scream that brought him back to the reality around him, breaking his intense focus on the less than impressive battle before him.</p><p>Turning towards the source of the sound, he saw Liliana unconscious, on the ground, Erica fussing over her still form, worried, as Yuri ran and began checking her over. He hurried, crouching near her prone form; upon getting within hair's breadth from the fallen knight, he heard her whispering, as if in delirium…</p><p>"Regent… Spider… Fthgm…"</p><p>"I-I think she just fainted, she is unharmed."</p><p>"Thank you, Yuri! Thank you." The seventh said, relieved, his voice heavy with the gratitude he felt.</p><p>Another roar had him turning to the battle he was viewing moment before, and he saw the Devil King rip the Spider god's fang, himself falling on and crushing what looked someone's house, only to shake it off and rise.</p><p>What proceeded was a methodical mutilation, brutal even by the standards Godou witnessed from the other Campione and heretic gods…</p><p>As he felt the death of the god, and saw all the smaller spiders disappearing into nothing, like a bad dream, his gaze turned towards the remaining giant. Only to see that it, too, got covered in black, and disappeared.</p><p>"By the gods…"</p><p>Looking at the destruction wrought, and with the brutal, crude and cruel evisceration of a god still so fresh in mind, he couldn't help but agree.</p><p>This wasn't a fight as he was used to, got used to, with heretic gods and other campione. This was something more, bestial…primal, raw…</p><p>He didn't want to have to fight that (even if some small part of him wanted to teach the ruffian a lesson about the superiority of his more elegant fighting over the brutal execution-by demonstrating it on them).</p><p>Turning towards the familiar older man among the HCC people, he asked about the damages to the area.</p><p>"This is a rather poor part of the residential city, and some streets are long due renovation. We will see to using it to ease the repair and cover-up of this, fortunately we have recently gained experience dealing with</p><p>Large scale destruction-there weren't even any monument destroyed this time, just stores, schools and a large swath of houses."</p><p>"I will leave Liliana in your care, for now," the Devil King said, before turning to the direction of the battle, frowning, "I think I need to have a long overdue talk with the Eighth, before they disappear again. Because it looks like I will have to look for them if they do."</p><hr/><p>Kaoru Sayanomiya was once again reading a report about the Eighth Campione. <em>'The Devil king we still know nothing about.'</em></p><p>Except that the mystery Campione made a second appearance, confirming that they were still somewhere nearby, probably still in the city, and that the Purple Giant was them-and possibly the manner through which they defeated their first heretic god-so it was either a grimoire, like the one King Kusanagi was reported to have used to defeat Verethraga, or An artifact. The existence of such an artifact was a most scary thought. To make matters worse, they have slain yet another heretic god, getting even stronger.</p><p>She would have preferred the Seventh to have defeated that spider deity, even with the surety of greater collateral destruction to the battlefield, and potential loss of yet another priceless monument of their nation.</p><p>"So King Godou confirmed that the giant which slew the Heretic God, by bisecting it in two with its own torn fang, before suddenly disappearing in a shadow-to the point none of our agents on the field as well as all those who were sent to check after action could find even the slightest of traces- was indeed the Campione we were missing, and the Seventh Sought them for a 'serious discussion'."</p><p>The man grimaced at the last two words.</p><p>"Tell me that at least the Knight –Liliana Kranjcar, is well. Maybe the news that his lover recovers well will stay his anger once the two inevitably meet."</p><p>Amakusa Sighed before replying.</p><p>"Liliana-san is still unconscious. She seems unharmed to all scans and checks, though a bit drained-it is most likely that she used Spirit Vision on the battling giants, and was exhausted by it to the point of feinting, or that through her Spirit Vision she saw something that overwhelmed her. In either case, there is high likelihood that she will recover in time and no way to ascertain which of the two it is until she does."</p><p>"And what if her loss of consciousness was caused by an authority of the newest Monarch?"</p><p>Amakusa paled considerably. "I didn't think of that…"</p><p>"I hope it is not the case, myself. Did returning the reexamination of those hospitalized in the wake of the ascension and that memory loss of all the people who were there reveal anything that could lead us to the recently born Campione?"</p><p>"Yes, I think you were on to something there- after a thorough examination at a distance of everyone recorded as hospitalized for memory loss after the battle in which the Eighth Campione ascended, we narrowed the list of suspects to three people we could not account for. A woman of 32 years named Yadmaru Lisa who disappeared 19 months ago, a rather suspicious looking Japanese man of around 40 years of unknown background, and a boy of about 14 who said his name was Ikari Shinji-records showed no boy with such a name fitting his description was missing, thus it was probably a fake name of a runaway kid."</p><p>"And what do you think?"</p><p>"I don't know which option is worse. That the second King in Japan will be a woman who disappeared for unknown reason, criminal, or a little boy."</p><p>"Perhaps, if it is the boy, Kusanagi-Sama will show compassion, and choose to take him under his wing, granting us, and Japan, two affiliated Devil Kings."</p><p>"We can only hope- by all reports Kusanagi-sama seemed displeased with the Eighth King in the aftermath of the attest battle. I will have to send someone see if we have any Hime-Miko remaining unattached pretty and possessing talents that would be useful, should the mystery monarch share the hungers of Kusanagi-sama.</p><p>Meanwhile please find them. It's no longer just a matter of finding them before another organization contracts with them, it has been four days since the battle, and we have absolutely nothing about the eighth Campione, aside from his appearance as a purple armored giant- that and two heretic gods descending so soon one after another cause great panic among all mages, witches and Hime-Miko on our islands. Nearly all of those not tied to local powers fled the country. I have even heard whispers, that her eminence, Luo Hao, may return to our shores to investigate it herself.</p><hr/><p>Shinji awoke in an unfamiliar room. He soon saw an unfamiliar, rather pretty young woman.</p><p>As she noticed that he was awake, she turned to and addressed him.</p><p>"So the Eighth King is finally awake."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Atlach-Nacha</strong>
</p><p>Written about in the stories of the horror writer and poet Clark Ashton Smith, in a continuation of the Cthulhu Mythos, in the short story <em>The Seven Geases</em> (1934), this is the reluctant recipient of a human sacrifice given to it by the toad-god Tsathoggua.</p><p>Atlach-Nacha resembles a huge spider with an almost-human face. It dwells in a huge cavern deep beneath Mount Voormithadreth, a mountain in the now vanished kingdom of Hyperborea in the Arctic. There it spins a gigantic web, bridging a massive chasm between the Dreamlands and the waking world. Some believe that when the web is complete, the end of the world will come, because it will create a permanent junction with the Dreamlands allowing monsters to move freely into the waking world.</p><p>Atlach-Nacha probably came to Earth from the planet Cykranosh (or Saturn as we know it today) with Tsathoggua. Because of its appearance, Atlach-Nacha is often referred to as the <em>Spider-God(dess)</em> and is believed to be the regent of all spiders. Furthermore, the giant, bloated purple spiders of Leng are thought to be its children and servitors.</p><p>There is some disagreement about its gender. In Smith's original story, Atlach-Nacha is referred to as a male, but in later stories by other authors, it is implied to be a female.</p><p>
  <strong>Shinji's new Authorities:</strong>
</p><p><strong>Avater of the Spidergod-</strong> "<em>From Cykranosh I come to under Hyperborea. Behold my form as I emerge from my cavern and be in owe and terrified -the many lagged ones declared me god at once."</em></p><p>Atlach-Nachla famous for his form-that of a giant spider with almost human face. Just like other Great Old ones, his appearance is terrifying and his influence is bad for sanity.</p><p>This authority represents his form, it Transforms Shinji into a god avater form-namely into a huge spider with vaguely human face-one that is similar to his human one. This authority is similar to the transformation authority of John Pluto Smith. As a Spider, Shinji can still activate his authorities, and has a somewhat improved magic resistance, as well as all the physical abilities of spiders-venom, web spinning, burrowing …and instinctive familiarity with the hunting methods of spiders- allowing him to pull any trick spiders are known to use. In this form, He also has a form of 'Fear Aura', and those without a strong magic resistance will instinctively fear this form on sight and will fall into temporary panic and hysteria if they stay close for too long (strong by mage standards, Campione, divine ancestors and Heretic gods much less affected by it, making the effect into a muted hesitation and weariness at best, and a mild barely noticeable irritation at worst).</p><p>This authority can only be used once every 48 hours, and can only be used in the absence of direct sunlight-Shinji have to either do it after nightfall, or somewhere indoors with windows barred. Artificial lights of any kind don't matter.</p><p><strong>Regent of Spiders</strong>- "<em>Obey my will, Spiders, hear my command-your master decries! The Regent calls!"</em></p><p>Atlach-Nacha referred to as a Spider-God and is believed to be the regent of all spiders. The giant purple spiders of Leng are thought to be its children and servitors.</p><p>This Authority is Atlach-Nacha's dominion over spiders, inherited to Shinji.</p><p>It allows him to understand and command spiders if he so desires. Any spider, be it the common variety, black widow, brown recluse, or even some mutated or artificially created, and even alien spider, can be commanded and follow orders-they will be loyal and try to accomplish the orders to the best of their understanding and ability.</p><p>Only those with powerful magical resistance won't be controlled immediately-Divine Beast spiders can resist and then it would become a battle of wills and the domination may be only partial or may be broken. Other Spider Gods are immune to this, as their divinity protects them from it. Divine ancestors from Spider deities are not immune, but usually very good at resisting this. Human descendants of spider deities will automatically feel a pull and desire to serve him, as their partly divine spiderblood recognizes its liege.</p><p>This authority also allows him to summon the Spiders of Leng as divine beasts that would serve him. They are giant (think car sized and twice bigger) purple spiders. Their magic resistance is weak for a Divine Beast, and they are not the most powerful beings around, like Godou's Boar (a Great Knight like Erica is more then a match for one)-but as spiders they have venom and spider webs, and are also intelligent- capable of following complex instructions and acting independently on their master's (Shinji) behalf. As such they are much more flexible (and numerous) than the bestial powerful Divine is a quantity rather than quality case-the spiders rely on their number as their biggest advantage. As it will develop, Shinji will be able to call greater numbers of Leng Spiders to do his bidding.</p><p>The Spiders of Leng can also grow in size and power if they eat enough-preferring humans, though they will be unlikely to reach the level of the abovementioned boar.</p><p>No, this authority CAN'T control that spider angel from NGE- combination of 'heretic god', and AT field resisting the effect.</p><p>
  <strong>DreamWeb Weaver-</strong>
  <em>"Spinner of the bridge! Weaving between Dreamlands and Waking World!"</em>
</p><p>Atlach-Nacha spends the days in his cavern, spinning a gigantic web, bridging a massive chasm between the Dreamlands and the waking world. Some believe that when the web is complete, the end of the world will come, because it will create a permanent junction with the Dreamlands allowing monsters to move freely into the waking world.</p><p>After calling this Authority, Shinji proceeds to weave a web that appears out of nowhere, as spiderweb, loom, knitting, or other fitting symbolic activity, and do so with his focus uninterrupted. He is therefore vulnerable during that time and cannot cast spells, or call authorities. Should he stop or be forced to stop without finishing, the authority is wasted without effect and needs to recharge. The amount of time he needs to weave is measured in approximately half an hour at first, and will lessen with time and experience.</p><p>Upon activation, the Authority makes the area a part of both the living world and the Netherworld/Dreamlands at the same time, but only granting the benefits of it for Shinji, though he may learn to extend it to others later. All others only gain the negative side effects of either place (mortals, even mages, lose their vitality fast unless protected).</p><p>Within This territory all his spells are much more powerful, and some Authorities which synergize are empowered:</p><p>-<strong>Avatar of the Spiderlord</strong> will lose its limitations, allowing him to call it at once and transform instantly after uttering its chant regardless of its usual limitations, no matter if he used it recently or is under direct sunlight, and makes him seem even more intimidating.</p><p>-<strong>Regent of Spiders </strong>will allow him to nearly instantly call dozens, and later hundreds of Leng Spiders each time in near infinite number of waves, allowing him to drown his enemies in Leng Spiders.</p><p>-<strong>Conductor of the Realms </strong>can now absorb and then redirect any purely energy based attack, like lightning, fire, laser, etc (or just any energy, if it lacks actual mass)…If it hits his shadow, instead of Shinji himself, swallowing it and then 'spitting' it from said shadow at his convenience, while retaining its nature and properties, without effecting Shinji himself. From the POV of the attack itself the reflection is instant.</p><p>- <strong>Dreamgiver </strong>now calls the dreams Shinji fashions into the real world as Illusions instead, due to it being the world of dreams as well at the same time. Thus changing this authority into the ability to make illusions, visible only to and drawn from the dreams of a target. The target itself must be someone Shinji has some degree of familiarity with. This way Shinji can make his target see things that aren't there, and choose what the target will see. The illusions are powerful enough to effect Campione and gods.</p><p>None of these authorities or his ability to cast spells in general can be blocked from being activated by authorities or spells while DreamWeb Weaver is active.</p><p>DreamWeb Weaver can affect any dimension or place, but must be activated from the Netherworld.</p><p>Just like any dream, this Web, too dissipates at midnight, or after he stops channeling energy into it-as it constantly drains ever increasing amount of Shinji's power as long as it is active. Shinji will also always be utterly exhausted physically (having just completed a god's lifework, even temporarily, is very tiring work), and unable to use this authority again for 168 hours (a week).</p><p>This authority requires Shinji to be in the Netherworld when called upon (just as Atlach-Nacha weaves from within the Dreamworld), otherwise it will not activate. It does not provide him the means to travel to netherworld, though.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I worked hard to figure and properly tweak the authorities to give Shinji for his victory. I hope the end result is good and satisfying. And yes, Shinji currently lacks a way to go to the Netherworld, making using his last authority a problem. For now.</p><p>Shinji is still an unknown Campione, but for how long?</p><p>Next chapter should contain a surprise.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. First Truth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So the Eighth King is finally awake."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Nothing…"</p><p>As he blinked away the last vestiges of sleep and focused, the boy took in the appearance of the young woman.</p><p>She wore white, loose robes and an overcoat, looked about seventeen, with olive-brown skin, black hair and a large, well formed chest, that Shinji could help but stare at longer then was appropriate.</p><p>All in all, with her Indian ancestry and nun like attire, she appeared exotic to his sensibilities, used as he was to only Japanese people (And, if memory could be trusted, a girl called Asuka).</p><p>Shinji felt himself blushing.</p><p>"W-Who are you?"</p><p>"My name is Aisha", the… nun? Replied in a gentle voice. "I found you on the street, and brought you here. How are you feeling?"</p><p>"I…"taking stock of himself, Shinji found himself feeling well. Fresh and rested. "Where are we?" he asked finally.</p><p>"In a hotel room. Far enough to be safe. I couldn't just leave you amidst the ruins. Though the man downstairs kept giving me strange looks, for some reason…"</p><p>"Ruins?" And then he felt a slight headache. He remembered-the Spiders, the death of Norton-san. The Giant Spider that Shinji knew, somehow, was a god.</p><p>"So it really happened. It wasn't a strange dream."</p><p>"…"</p><p>Shinji suddenly grabbed at her overcoat and with a face full of desperation, and a bit of madness, raised his voice. "Can you tell me, just what is going on? Just what is happening? When did the world become so crazy?"</p><p>Grabbing tightly and pulling her closer, until she ended up leaning just above the boy in his bad, he shouted in an outburst, "Just what is happening to me?" and the his hold went slack, though not releasing, as he started sobbing quietly. "Please, tell me what is happening to me? I saw, I remember, things that make no sense. Monsters and impossible powers… I… I feel something strange, something powerful, just beneath my skin, waiting to burst out. I don't know what real and what not, anymore, and I feel like I'm going insane. I beg you. Please. Tell me I'm not going mad!" He half whispered.</p><p>The girl's feature softened, and she gave a gentle, bittersweet smile that the boy didn't see, as she hugged and comforted the crying youth.</p><p>"I will help you."</p><p>He hugged her back, with all his strength. Basking in her presence, her freely given comfort. Was this what having a family comfort him feel like? Because he felt that he could trust her. That there was something innocent and charming about the girl.</p><p>He stayed like that as long as he could, until he calmed down. And then some more. When he let go, it wasn't nearly enough. That sweet comfort felt like a single cup to a man almost dead from thirst, like a single small morsel to a starving man.</p><p>And into the silence she started talking.</p><p>Her tale seemed a thing of fantasy, but as Shinji learned from her revelations great and terrible, he knew it to be true. Right down to the marrow of his bones. Felt in his very soul.</p><hr/><p>As Shinji washed his face in the attached bathroom sink, he pondered what he has been told. The maiden left soon after, leaving him the key to the room, and reminding that it was only paid for another hour, and breakfast was not included.</p><p>
  <em>'To think. That was a manifestation of a myth, and that by doing the impossible task of slaying it, I became a Champion and got some of its powers. But what about the Evangelion? Where did It come from?'</em>
</p><p>Having to use his shirt in lieu of a missing towel, Shinji felt his stomach protesting its lack of breakfast.</p><p>As he left room and went to reception, a fat, ugly man was smirking at him nastily, asking him if he had fun.</p><p>Only s he exited the building, and looked back, did the young boy realized that he spent what was four days, according to Aisha-san, in a love hotel with her. The man's insinuations, as well as her comment about strange looks suddenly made sense.</p><p>He blushed furiously. A small part of him felt disappointed that nothing happened.</p><p>Shaking his stupor away, he continued, walking around in search of place for breakfast.</p><p>He walked for a long time, and while he was told, that the manifestation, and the battle against it, were hidden from the general populace, the amount of… normal… Shinji found himself surrounded by, no panic, no worry, no burden of disaster awaiting… no clue about the danger that may spring at any moment, should another manifestation occur in their midst.</p><p>It was strange in its normalcy. Its complacency.</p><p>Eventually, he found a ramen stand, and in his pocket, a wallet stolen in what seemed so long ago.</p><p>It had enough for a bowl.</p><p>"Nothing like ramen, right?" a cheerful voice called from his side, while he was ravenously eating.</p><p>As Shinji turned, he saw that the speaker was a boy of around fifteen, wearing an orange jacket and with bleached blonde, spiked hair.</p><p>"Ramen is my favorite food. It's the best thing in the world! Tough I hate the time it takes waiting for it to be ready. Hey, old man, two more bowls here, pork and-you fine with pork?" at a hesitant nod, the other boy returned his attention to the man behind the stall-"Two pork ramen. And be quick about it!" Turning back to the shocked Shinji, he smiled wide and full of happiness, closing his eyes and lending him a foxlike appearance. "My treat dattebayo!"</p><p>Shinji Ikari was always an introvert, and in front of such an extrovert and cheerful personality, stood no chance. The fact that it belonged to one who neither teased, insulted or belittled him, but kept treating him to more and more food, only made his inevitable surrender to the young man's demands smooth.</p><p>After the fifth bowl, though, he found his tranquility disturbed.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, The Eighth Campione noticed a familiar face and tensed.</p><p>It was the Kaji-look-alike. Shinji wondered if he was here looking for the champion who defeated the spider-kami. If their organization sought to capture him, or to conscript him to fight those monsters for them.</p><p>He briefly recalled the memories of another organization that had him fighting to the death against monsters with mythical names. Of piloting Unit-01.</p><p>Of how it brought him pain and he hated it.</p><p>Still he had questions.</p><p>Shinji wondered idly if any of the powers he got as a Champion could help him.</p><p>He was surprised to feel a mental nudge.</p><p>Focusing on the feeling, his eyes following the object of his thoughts, The Campione felt the power instinctively. He knew that he had a way… if only…</p><p>Standing up, the Boy Amakasu Touma was searching for, mumbled his thanks and started slowly following him.</p><hr/><p>An elderly man in an expansive suit exited an equally expansive car, and glancing around. Eventually he entered an alley, where a black clad nondescript man was smoking a cigarette.</p><p>"What is the progress in the search for the Eighth?"</p><p>"Still nothing, Honored Elder."</p><p>"Nothing! I know that the Sayanomiya brat didn't find anything, but she is weak, childish and a woman. Such incompetence from her should not surprise, that Great Family fell from its lofty height. What is your excuse? You are one of our best!" the Elder scoffed.</p><p>"I have none, Honored Elder."</p><p>"And here I was hoping we could find a worthwhile Devil King to Gather behind, and put the girl back in her place as we discover and contact them. Bah… do we even know if this one is a Gaijin or proper Japanese? What was the seventh thinking, to have foreigners among his women?" he grumbled.</p><p>"We suspect they are." The agent replied, unemotional.</p><p>"Good, good. And what about the Dragon Bone we found at the sight of the battle?"</p><p>"Still being examined, discreetly of course. The Committee is not aware of that finding, Honored Elder."</p><p>"Good. This could be our great breakthrough into the main council. Now, what about the renegade clan?"</p><p>"Unlike most unaffiliated groups, they remain, and still refuse to submit to the authority of the History Compilation Committee, they did, however, recalled their agents and seem to have consolidated at their clan compound. We and they know, that it's only a matter of time now." The agent started sweating.</p><p>"And still they show such impudence. They WILL be absorbed into the Committee, as is proper."</p><p>The old man gave him a sealed letter.</p><p>"These are your orders. Do not disappoint. And remember-absolute discretion."</p><p>The absolutely ordinary and nondescript man bowed again and waited until the elder left, before departing as well.</p><p>When he entered the car, the expensively dressed man nodded to the driver who started driving away, and conjured a messenger spell. "Akira, I am calling in your debt. I will have need of one of your assassins, soon."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We meet the one who found Shinji (Its NOT an OC-care to guess who?). He got some respite, and a new conspiracy is unfolding.</p><p>The bleached blond who treated Shinji to ramen is another expy-the protagonist of Naruto manga. he was fun to write. I hope i portrayed the emotional scene with the maiden well.</p><p>Dragon Bones, also known as Angel Remnants, or Bones of Saints, are physical remains that heretic gods and divine beasts, may sometimes leave behind, as they die and their body disappears. said relics may take various forms, hold some of the power and authority of the one whose death spawn them and are considered priceless artifacts. the tablet of Prometheus, which Godou used against Verethragna, was a stone tablet holding an authority o Prometheus, and is an example of a Dragon bone.</p><p>Reviews inspire me to write more-so more is better. Criticism and suggestions are welcome.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Interview with Devil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amakusa Touma walked nervously as he entered the office. It was a very big room, but almost entirely empty. A long walk, giving the feel of a nearly endless corridor, towards the desk, and the figure sitting behind it-the bright light falling directly into the eyes of whoever enters, disorienting them to what is inside-shining into his eyes blurring it.</p><p>The vast emptiness felt like a pressure, pushing down on him.</p><p>Glancing upwards, Amakusa saw that on ceiling was drawn a massive and massively complex mystical diagram with circles within circles connected to other circles, with words in a foreign language. It wasn't Japanese or any Dialect from Far East, but also had nothing even resembling Latin-from which most modern western languages would develop. It was not the ancient Norse Runes nor Arabic. While he had no doubt that the writing was ancient, the man could not recognize the arcane script. It set him even more on edge.</p><p>As Touma got close enough to finally get a good look at the man behind the desk, his bad feeling about it all got worse.</p><p>The bearded man sitting in front of him, holding his hands together with fingers intertwined, was looking coldly at the agent, through orange tinted sunglasses, that showed just enough of his eyes to inform Amakusa that there will be no pity. It was an utterly indifferent gaze.</p><p>Amakusa Touma found his nervousness intensifying as it focused on him. He felt as if some invisible pressure was pressing on him from all sides, a heavy presence suffusing the room and making even breathing harder than it should be. The last time the History Compilation Agent felt anything similar was when he was in the presence of an angry Campione…</p><p>Campione!?</p><p>"My deepest apologies… Would I be correct to assume to be in the presence of a Campione?" He was sure, but heretic gods could be just as scary, and found anything related to their natural enemies to be an unforgivable insult.</p><p>"I am the Champion you have been searching for, in Tokyo." The man replied in a cold, monotone voice. His body not moving, and his eyes piercing, as if seeing into the vary soul of the mortal before him.</p><p>For all that the Amakusa knew, it could be the true- in a most literal sense.</p><p>The silence that stretched grew more awkward and oppressive, until it broke even the patience of a ninja.</p><p>"If I may be so bold as to introduce myself, I am Amakusa Touma of the History Compilation Committee, the prime magic association of Japan, which is under the seventh Campione Kusanagi Godou-sama."</p><p>"I know who you are", the Campione said suddenly, "I know more than you think. Now tell me about the Seventh!" he ordered with such commanding tone that the agent didn't think of refusing.</p><p>"The Seventh Campione, lord Kusanagi Godou, ascended after slaying the god of victory Verethragna, in Italy, returned to Japan, where he slew-"</p><p>"Irrelevant." The Eighth interrupted him in that same monotone voice, not caring for the victories and strength of his rival.</p><p>"He is… Protective of his women and the land of Japan, which is now his territory. And has good relations with the second Campione in China- her eminence, Luo Hao. He has been most accommodating, aside from when his women or his battles against heretic gods were involved. He has also been most eager to meet the other Campione in Japan. If a meeting is acceptable we would-"</p><p>"No", the Campione interrupted him. Another tense pause ensued.</p><p>Just as Touma was about to humbly ask if he has insulted the Devil King in his ignorance, another command was voiced.</p><p>"Tell me how your organization came to be under him."</p><p>"After the Seventh returned to Japan, it was decided to send a tribute - one of our most valued treasures-the very things the History Compilation Committee is known for, to Godou-sama to establish a link between him and us. After that we witnessed his great might in combat ourselves, as he slew a heretic god in this very land. Subordination of our organization under him was only natural."</p><p>"Will the HCC extend the same courtesy to me?" The Newest of Pandora's adopted children asked.</p><p>"I am not privy to the decisions of our esteemed high council. I am sure they will be most accommodating, though."</p><p>"Tell them that I am interested in similar arrangement, but if they turn me into an enemy, they might 'witness my own might'."</p><p>"As you wish." Touma bowed and acquiesced to the demand.</p><p>"Also, tell them to stop the search for me-I WILL keep my privacy." The Campione somehow managed to emphasize the insistence of the last demand without breaking the monotony of his voice.</p><p>"May I ask how we are to send the tribute then?" Amakusa asked, hoping none of his nervousness showed-having them send proper tribute to a king they can't find would be illogical, but logic went against the very nature of the Devil Kings-both their existence as mortals that slew deities and their behaviors post ascension.</p><p>"I will remain nearby and watching, and contact you again later. Dismissed."</p><hr/><p>Next thing Amakusa knew, he woke up in an unknown place, prone on the ground. His head hurt.</p><p>Wishing for some painkillers, the man looked around. It took all too long to realize he was in an alley. As he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, Amakusa Touma frowned, trying and failing to remember how he got there.</p><p>Standing up, he heard a car speeding on the street past, and hurrying towards the sound, saw a nondescript van accelerating-leaving in noticeable hurry.</p><p>He idly wondered if this was the van used to kidnap and ferry him to the Devil King he just met and back.</p><p>His frown deepened.</p><p>"The HCC won't like it at all."</p><p>Try as he might, he couldn't remember just how he got to the office of the Eighth Campione or back, barely kept the vague recollection of their look, despite the clear impression that they were an intimidating man.</p><p>He did remember the conversation itself, though.</p><p>"Well, at least, this goes to support the theory that the Eighth has authority over memory." Touma said to himself, shaking his head.</p><p>The continued presence of the newest Child of Pandora meant that the sword of Damocles hanging over their collective heads, of the two Devil Kings fighting, was not avoided, and the conversation seemed to hint that it will remain for quite some time.</p><p>The Ninja idly entertained thoughts of getting a reassignment to somewhere farther… Mongolia sounded attractive option, and should be far enough to miss the explosions.</p><p>It <em>did not</em> help his headache.</p><hr/><p>Shinji ended his <em>Dreamgiver</em> authority and hid away, He hoped the Kaji looking man, that Amakusa-san, wasn't robbed or something in the alley the boy dragged and hide him in, and that the hit on his head Shinji inflicted to make him 'go to sleep' so that he could activate the authority on him wasn't too strong. The boy didn't want to hurt anyone, but he NEEDED information.</p><p>So he used that strange power he had over dreams, focusing on the man, one power among many he knew he had.</p><p>Shinji weaved the scariest image he could think of, and then increased the impression of pressure on the man, hoping he will be too scared to lie too much.</p><p>Nervous and uncertain himself how to go about questioning the man, the Third Child mostly stayed silent, hoping that maybe the oppressive silence will give him something to start with, or at least buy him time.</p><p>He then pretended to know too much-it always intimidated him how father seemed to …just know, sometimes.</p><p>Even if there were still many questions remaining, the boy thought it should make things a bit better.</p><p>After all, he learned that there were seven more Champions, at least, with him as the eighth. It was probably similar to how he was the Third Child, in the impossible-real dream of a grim and dark future. Indicator that he was the eighth to become such.</p><p>Learning magic was real should have been a surprise, but after what that nun, Aisha, revealed, after he fought a giant spider piloting a giant robot, really wasn't. It also gave name to the mysterious organization. And that they were under the Seventh Champion, though Shinji wondered if they really served another superpowered kid, or if it was service in name only.</p><p>That the seventh defeated a god of victory named Verethragna was irrelevant-Shinji never heard of such a god, and couldn't make anything of that piece of information.</p><p>Hearing that this Godou was a womanizer, Shinji tried to picture such a kid, and ended coming up with a teenager version of Kaji, smirks, smiles and saying outrageous to and about women. The part about battles put Asuka in his mind. Trying to imagine a boy that was both… didn't work.</p><p>That the second Champion was in China hinted that they weren't all in one place, but scattered across the world, and others even farther still. The mention of stable relationship hinted that usually relations between champions weren't.</p><p>So it shouldn't be all seven of them ganging up on him. The man would have mentioned something otherwise. Shinji didn't think Amakusa Touma lied about anything.</p><p>He wasn't sure of the man meant that 'Kusanagi-sama' bullied the HCC into swearing allegiance or if they needed him so much and decided to do so to keep him with them (unlike some organization that showed not a drop of gratitude towards their pilots) or were that scared of him, but the boy still didn't want to meet that mysterious 7th.</p><p>Shinji did think he communicated his desire to have these people stop their search for him and leave him alone, AND his interest in establishing a link with them without hostility, like that Godou apparently did. And that just like 'Kusanagi-sama', he could respond with might to hostility. Shinji very much hoped he have discouraged them from acting against him, at least for now. <em>'Just what is the place of the Champions who defeated Manifestations of myths in the world anyway?'</em></p><p>And now that he knew the name of the man, Amakusa-san, there would be no need to be close to use that authority on him again.</p><p>Hopefully he will get to learn more, later, without showing just how clueless he really was. Shinji Remembered Misato once lecturing him about value of information in drunk reply to some question he asked. He couldn't remember what the question was.</p><p>He missed Misato. She wasn't the world's best guardian, but she was the one he had.</p><p>He hoped she was real.</p><p>Shinji rubbed his eyes to rid of the stinging sensation he suddenly felt there, as some crazy van drove on the wrong light, almost hitting someone who was about to cross the street, and was now cussing as it sped away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know that little happened here event wise-next chapter will have both HCC reaction this the events here, as well as focus on Yuri and Liliana and Godou reacting to them and this next move of the eighth. as well as a surprise.</p><p>One thing that I feel the need to point out and explain-Shinji still have all his memories undamaged, but his life before he woke up in the hospital at the start of this story (in his own verse), was too different from what is here, second Impact was unforgettable, global event, and left irreparable damage on the globe, and NONE of it Shinji sees even mentioned now-all that damages as if never happened.</p><p>Its like that old Sci-fi series called Sliders, same place same you, but EVERYTHING is different. Only Shinji has no idea he is in an alternate earth, only knowing that reality is not as he remembers it should be, and many others had their memories altered in the hospital too-so he wasn't the only one remembering strange stuff.</p><p>Reviews, criticism, ideas and suggestions are most welcome!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Bad Days</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A Van drove on the wrong light, almost hitting an elegantly dressed woman about to cross the street. The woman-a blonde with a mole under her left eye, who retreated just in time-barely avoiding being run over, was cussing a storm at it, as vehicle sped away.</p><p>"That was the light to stop! We were supposed to keep low profile and avoid drawing attention. The way you're driving, every cop in the ward will be after us!"</p><p>"Shut up!" the driver,a craggy faced man in his forties, barked. "Boss Uchiha wanted this done ASAP! Now be a good dog-less barking at me and more watching over our 'guest'."</p><p>The other man relented, and, grumbling, turned to their guest.</p><p>At the back of the van, was the tied and unconscious form of a teenage girl. A very pretty teenage girl…</p><p>"Don't even think of touching her!" the Driver called, "The Boss wants her unharmed, for now. If you wait, maybe he will let you have some fun with her if the negotiations fail."</p><p>Disappointed, the thug relented.</p><p>He only seen the girl for five minutes, but she really caught his eyes. There was something…<em>olden</em>… in the features of the chestnut haired girl, particularly in that miko outfit. The man licked his lips. Maybe to boss won't really need her afterwards?</p><p>
  <strong>Five minutes ago</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl was walking on the pavement parallel to a street, returning home from her shrine, when, suddenly a van screeched to a stop right beside her, its door opened, and a pair of men, wearing masks hopped out, one holding her while the other put a strangely smelling rag to her nose, and as she fell, losing consciousness, picked her hopped back inside, and drove away, closing the door, the tires screeching on the road at the sudden acceleration.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Much later that night, in a hidden room, in the basement of a small shrine in Kyoto, a group of old men, who were the leaders of an organization in a global conspiracy, which had long influenced the world from the shadows, gathered. Their Scenario was threatened.</p><p>"You have all read the report", an old man, wearing traditional Japanese kimono made of the finest silk, started. "Our agent was ambushed and had an impromptu audience forced on him. We now have His stated intent and demands." He ended his words there, calling the others to speak with a look.</p><p>"What can we do, but see to the fulfillment of the demands given? To do otherwise would invite the wrath of a Campione."</p><p>"Exactly", another elder, dressed just as elaborately, exclaimed, "And we already have the favor and cooperation of King Godou, who is already displeased with the newest Devil King, why not point them towards each other and let the problem solve itself? That way we save ourselves from the wrath of the Seventh-the Eighth is unknown, the identity of his first slain god is unknown, and the one suspect we have to his identity is a suspected Yakuza member. I will not bow before a Yakuza Devil King."</p><p>"You fool! Are you that eager to have two Campione war over your head? The Eighth expressed intention to stay-so unless he dies, he won't leave, and Godou-sama is Japanese and would not want to leave his home. It likely won't be just one duel, but a full war-and in a war between god slayers! Do you want the Purple Giant to stomp over all of Japan, with furious Godou-sama on his tail, breaking what he sidestepped?" Others jeered at the man for the suggestion. And</p><p>"Such a thing, that two Supreme Rulers set themselves intending to stay in the same city…it needs a most delicate touch. For now, the Eighth Campione expressed interest in cooperation, and while he showed a lack of care for his senior King in our land, nor did he express direct interest for conflict. His demands so far were to keep his privacy, and to receive the same tribute his predecessor did. Both are relatively simple to accomplish. What place can there be for doubt?" another elder spoke, stroking his beard thoughtfully.</p><p>"You don't suggest recalling the Hime-Miko we sent to Godou-sama, do you?"</p><p>"Of course not!" the elder replied, looking outrage at the mere suggestion.</p><p>"It seems that our course of action is decided. We will select and prepare a Hime-Miko for the 8th ,and suspend the active search for him. Hopefully he will work with us, as Godou-sama has."</p><p>"And I presume that you have a candidate for it in mind."</p><p>"As the yet unnamed Devil King wanted to receive the same courtesy as Godou-sama has, nothing short of a member of one of the Four Families."</p><p>"But Mariya Yuri is, from a respected family, not from one of the Four!" he was countered.</p><p>"But we did send Seishuuin Ena as well, later, and she is." The elder countered.</p><p>"And which of our granddaughters do you have in mind?" another asked in a biting tone.</p><p>"After careful deliberation, I concluded that only one valid option remains. I volunteer none other than my own. She is, after all, the oldest. The Campione is reported to be in his forties, and might be insulted if we send him a child. While my granddaughter is 18. Old enough should he find the idea of a teen girl as tribute distasteful, but young enough to not insult him with what he might see as an old maid."</p><p>"And maybe she will settle down, thus saving you from the continued embarrassment of failed matchmaking attempts, right Sayanomiya?"</p><p>"Well…" the man replied wistfully,"I do want some great-grandchildren at some point. Do indulge this old man in what may be his best chance to make sure the family continues."</p><hr/><p>Godou was feeling… confused, confused and even a bit hurt and upset, with his Grandfather.</p><p>Grandma's death wasn't a recent thing, but still! It felt like grandpa Ichirou was replacing her with that Gaij-European, that European woman. Shizuka sure seemed to think so. And rent at him at length.</p><p>Grandma used to be strict on her husband, and godou thought his grandpa really needed some of that strictness, now. <em>'Bringing home another woman… Grandma must be rolling in her grave.'</em></p><p>"Do you really think so?" Erica said, appearing as if from nowhere.</p><p>" …Did I say that loud?"</p><p>" Yes, you did, it must be upsetting you to be so lost in thought."</p><p>"It's not just that, the last few days were…bad. First that Eighth appearing out of nowhere, and disappearing again, then what happened to Liliana, and now, some stranger coming to replace Grandma!"</p><p>"Is it really that bad, that your grandfather has a chance to find happiness again?" the girl asked, her tone serious, for once.</p><p>"Erica, you always say how we are to be together, talking about being my wife, right? What if you were to die, and I take another wife to replace you?" The young man angrily demanded.</p><p>Erica looked at him with a sad expression, and Godou was about to apologize, regretting the words he said unthinking, only for her to reply in a melancholic tone. "It is inevitable that I die and you outlive me-mortals, even magic knights, don't live forever, I will not enjoy the longevity all Campione have. And I would certainly hope that you will find love again after that. Loneliness is hard burden, more so on a Devil King. You especially will need the companionship. I would never begrudge you being happy."</p><p>And then her expression turned playful, as she added, " I just hope you won't replace me as your Main wife while I still live. Why, is there a new addition you have in mind for your harem?"</p><p>"Erica!" And now he was flustered.</p><p>He did feel a bit better, though.</p><hr/><p>"This is Lu Yinghua, I am to relay to you to inform King Godou that her eminence, Luo Hao, ruler of the martial realm, herby chastises her sworn little brother. She has heard of the Eighth Campione that has risen in his territory, and of his unseemly conduct towards the current ruler of that land. Should the unpleasantness not be resolved soon, she will pay a visit to set straight both of her juniors on the path of Rakshasa Raja."</p><p>Having finished delivering his warning to the voice mail, the young disciple of the second among the Devil Kings approached his liege, and bowed before her. "Your eminence, I have delivered your words."</p><p>"Well, you may now proceed to finishing the arrangements for our travel then, Young Eagle. This Luo Hao trusts that you will not disappoint."</p><p>"Thousand pardons, your eminence, but…our? Surely his majesty will heed your words and resolve the issue, now that he is informed of your displeasure, and all other interests in that land are beneath the notice of such an august personage."</p><p>"It is indeed so, however, evaluating my sworn younger brother will be accomplished better if done in person. It shall be another test to his worthiness, as well as yours. Now thank my kindness for another chance to prove yourself."</p><p>Lu Yinghua was a true master of the self, even in his young age. After all, none of the displeasure he felt, of his hopes for respite that were dashed, of the frustrating that felt as heavy as a mountain on his shoulders, were seen on his face. None of it was even hinted in the slightest bit in his posture as he bowed again before his Liege and thanked her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here we have the incident at the start, which was almost foreshadowed earlier (for example, the speeding van that Amakasu Touma saw when he awoke after his audience with the 8th campione) will be relevant in the next couple of chapters. We then have the History Compilation Committee leadership meeting to discuss what the newest Campione 'asked' of them. From that we get another look at Godou, who had an unpleasant few days now, before ending the chapter with what will make his week even worse.</p><p>I hope you find this chapter to your liking. thanks to all who favorited, followed and reviewed. I look forward to seeing your thoughts on this chapter as well.</p><p>Reviews will encourage me to update faster!</p>
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